Second Peloponnesian War

Question 1

Outbreak reasons

Answer 1

Spartan fear
Athenian need to maintain empire
Corinth

Question 2

Sparta actions suggesting war - immediately before war

Answer 2

Sparta making Megara the core reason for them going to war- 1.76

Spartan ally - Thebes - responsible for outbreak 7.18

1.126 - sought pretext for war through Athens ignoring complaints of allies

Sparta’s ultimatum being unrealistic -

Question 3

Spartan fear

Answer 3

Thucydides’ view - what made war inevitable was the growth of athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta’ - prophasis - 1.23

Sparta had thought it wise due to athenian actions:
‘most people’s views tended to the same conclusion -namely that Athens was already acting aggressively and that war should be declared without delay 1.7

Question 4

Spartans pressured

Answer 4

Sparta under pressure from allies nonetheless with the majority voting for war at the congress 1.125

Question 5

Athens not wanting war

Answer 5

• 1.72 - ‘hoped to divert their audience from the idea of war’,
• 1.73 ‘Our aim is to show you what sort of a city you will have to fight against, if you make the wrong decision’
• Not willing to fight over Megara - but only by necessity 1.141
• Defensive alliance with Corcyra

Question 6

Athens and Corinth relations

Answer 6

Getting involved in Potidaea and Corcyra when Athens knew of the ‘hatred felt for her by Corinth’ (1.56)

Question 7

Athens preparing for war

Answer 7

Construction of the long walls in 479

433 shifing to war economy - increasing defence - decreasing others

Athens 1.44 - general belief war was inevitable

Question 8

Corinth involvement positive

Answer 8

Corinth dissuaded(allegedly) the Peloponnesians from going to Samos’ aid 1.41

Question 9

Spartan actions - early - war

Answer 9

Sparta promising to invade attica if the athenians attacked Potidaea (1.58)
- Considered aid to Samos (1.40) 440
- Prepared to help Thasos by invading Attica (1.101) - only stopped by helot revolt
- Spartans wanted to regain hegemony - 475 - Diodorus

Question 10

Corinth as a reason for war

Answer 10

• Th sticks to the line that it is corinth - corinth takes up more than 1/10th of book 1 - corinth-athens as mainly featuring in the causes of complaint and disputes
• ‘sending embassies urging the allies to vote for war’ 1.119
• argument that it is necessary to fight Athens now 1.122