Topic 2: Greece in conflict

Question 1

Primary sources

Answer 1

• Diodorus wrote “universal history”.
• He based his wokr on Ephorus but he was trained in rhetoric.
• Plutarch wrote “Parallel lives” which were a seires of biographies.
• He uses a wide range of earlier sources.
• Thycydides wrote “The history of the Pelopponesian war”
• He claims to base his work off of research and investigation.
• His accounts are one sided and the role of Persia is largely ignored.

Question 2

The Delian league

Plutach

Answer 2

• Started between 478 and 477 as an alliance between Athens and city-states/islands.
• Its aim was to to defend against a future Persian invasions and drive them out of city-states.
• Originaly this talk was for the Hellenic league, under the command of Pausinias.
• He was victoious but was also arrogant and a tyrant so was remeoved.
• Aristeides and Cimon would take over the command under the Delian league.
• The league was primarily a naval allience and wwould collect money or ships from member states.
• The moeny collected was kept in a central treasury on the island of Delos.

Question 3

The Helot Revolt
464 BC

Thucydides

Answer 3

• Helots wee owned by Spata and were used for farming since most Spatans were soldierds.
• They could act as personal slaves or attendants or the army if needed.
• They outnumbered the Spatans so were treated badly, even killed each year to keep them in check.
• In 464 an earthquake struck Sparta which caused a revolt and started the First Pelopponesian war.
• The earthquake ruined all possesions and infrastructure, so the Helots had nothing to lose.
• Spata asked Athens for help as they had reputation for being good at seigeoperations and Sparta lacked experience.
• They were suspitious of Atthenians so sent them home but Athens caught on and denounced the original treaty and allied themselves with Spata’s enemy, Argos.

Question 4

Corinth and Megera

Thycidides

Answer 4

• Both Spartan allies, Megera almost lost so seceded from the Pelepponesian leage and asked Athens for help.
• This turned Athensn against Corinth which historians say caused the First Pelopponesian war.
• Athens wenr to war with Aegina and won in the naval battle.
• Most of Athens’ army was away so they made do with very old and very younge people, in order to defeat Megera.
• In 458 BC Athens built two large walls as defense, which shows they were feeling vunerable.
• At the battle of Tanagra the Spatans were victorious amnd took 100 of the richest as hostages. This was the first direct battle against Spata and Athens.
• In the end, Athens won, as they had taken alot of land which esulted in the Athenian empire reaching its largest extent ever and Aegina was foprced to join the Delian league.

Question 5

Changes to the Delian league

Answer 5

• The Chalkis decree made it so that they couldnt betray Athens which shows how they turned the Delian keague into an empre.
• In 446 the five year true between the Delian and Pelepponese league ended.
• In 446 Pericles found himself dealing with two revolts, from Megaraand Euboea.
• The Peleponnesian army invaded Attica in support of Megara, under command of Spartan king Pleistoanax before quickly withdrawing.
• Thucydides tells us that the king wanted peace but he was accused of taking bribes and bribing the oracle at Delphi.
• Plutarch says that Pericles bribed the king so he could pepare for war.
• By 446 Athens was at the height of its power which led to tention between Athens and Sparta as the truce had expired.

Question 6

sources

Answer 6

• THUCYDIDES - “The result of delian league was that Athens navy grw strong at their expense.”
• PLUTARCH CIMON - “They failed to realise they were truning themselves into subjects and slaves.”
• THUCYDIDES - “Athens denounced original treaty after being sent away and allied with Argos.”
• THUCYDIDES - “SPartans took 1000 richest histages afte Tenagra.”
• THYCYDIDES - “Athens won naval against Aegina”.
• THUCYDIDES - King withdrew attavks on Attica as he was bribed and birbes orzcle of Delphi.