The Peloponnesian War | World History | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

21 Nov 201608:18

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TLDRThe video script presents a historical overview of the 5th Century BCE, focusing on the rivalry between Athens and Sparta, two powerful Greek city-states. Initially united against the Persian invaders, tensions escalated post the Persian Wars, leading to the formation of the Delian League by Athens, which Sparta viewed as a burgeoning Athenian empire. This insecurity and a series of events, including a Helot uprising in Sparta and a skirmish involving Megara and Corinth, culminated in the First Peloponnesian War. After a temporary peace, the Peloponnesian War erupted, marked by three phases: the Archidamian War, the Sicilian Expedition, and the Ionian War. The Athenian naval power was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Aegospotami, leading to their surrender in 404 BCE and Spartan victory. However, the war left Greece weakened, paving the way for Philip of Macedon to later unify the city-states.

Takeaways

🏺 The 5th Century BCE began with Athens and Sparta united against the Persians, but post-invasion tensions led to conflict.
🚢 The Delian League, initially formed to counter Persians, evolved into what was perceived as an Athenian empire, causing concern for Sparta.
⛵️ Athens' naval power post the Second Persian Invasion made Sparta wary, fearing the rise of Athenian dominance.
🏺 After the Persian Wars, Sparta felt threatened by Athens' growing influence and military strength, leading to increased rivalries.
🌋 An earthquake in Sparta and a Helot uprising further strained relations, with Sparta viewing Athenian support with suspicion.
🤝 Athens' alliance with Megara, a Spartan ally, was the final straw leading to the declaration of the First Peloponnesian War.
🕰️ The First Peloponnesian War and the Peace of 30 Years were early indicators of the brewing conflict, which would last for decades.
🏺 The Archidamian War marked the first phase of the Peloponnesian War, characterized by Sparta's land attacks and Athens' naval raids.
✌️ The Peace of Nicias was intended to last 50 years but failed to maintain peace, with skirmishes continuing soon after.
🚢 The Athenians' disastrous attempt to extend their power by conquering Syracuse marked a turning point and the second phase of the war.
🏛️ The Ionian War, or Decelean War, saw revolts within the Athenian empire and strategic gains for Sparta, including Persian aid.
🏺 The Battle of Aegospotami in 405 BCE was a decisive Spartan victory that led to the Athenian surrender and the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE.
🏺 The aftermath of the war left Greece weakened and vulnerable, setting the stage for later conquests by Phillip II of Macedon in the 4th century.

Q & A

What was the primary cause of tension between Athens and Sparta after the Persian Wars?
-The primary cause of tension was Sparta's concern over the growing strength and influence of the Athenian Navy, which was significantly bolstered by the formation of the Delian League, leading to fears of an emerging Athenian empire.
Why did Sparta feel insecure about Athens' military power after the Persian invasions?
-Sparta felt insecure because Athens' decisive role in the Second Persian Invasion and the establishment of the Delian League gave Athens a powerful navy and increased resources, which could be used to expand its influence and potentially threaten Sparta.
What event led to the outbreak of the First Peloponnesian War?
-The First Peloponnesian War began when Athens formed an alliance with Megara, which was historically an ally of Sparta. This alliance was seen as a provocation by Sparta, leading them to declare war.
What was the Peace of 30 Years, and how long did it last?
-The Peace of 30 Years was a treaty that ended the First Peloponnesian War, intended to establish a lasting peace between Sparta and Athens. However, it only lasted for about 15 years before tensions led to further conflicts.
How did the Athenian Navy contribute to the expansion of the Athenian Empire?
-The Athenian Navy, being a dominant force, enabled Athens to conduct raids and establish control over various points along the Peloponnese and the Aegean Coast, thereby extending its influence and empire.
Who was the King of Sparta during the beginning of the Peloponnesian War, and what was his role?
-The King of Sparta during the beginning of the Peloponnesian War was Archidamus II. He reluctantly decided to invade Attica, marking the start of the Archidamian War, the first phase of the Peloponnesian War.
What was the strategic significance of the Athenians' failed attempt to conquer Syracuse?
-The failed attempt to conquer Syracuse was significant because it marked a major defeat for Athens and a turning point in the Peloponnesian War. The loss of the Athenian fleet weakened Athens' naval power and contributed to the eventual Spartan victory.
What was the Ionian War, and how did it relate to the Peloponnesian War?
-The Ionian War was the third phase of the Peloponnesian War. It involved revolts by city-states that were part of the Athenian empire, with Sparta aiding these revolts to weaken Athens. It was also known as the Decelean War due to the strategic location of Decelea.
How did the Persians become involved in the Peloponnesian War, despite their previous conflict with the Greeks?
-Over time, the Persians chose to support the Spartans in the later stages of the Peloponnesian War, likely seeing an opportunity to weaken both Athens and Sparta, their former adversaries, and to influence the outcome in their favor.
What was the outcome of the decisive naval battle at Aegospotami in 405 BCE?
-The battle at Aegospotami resulted in a decisive victory for the Spartans, who destroyed the Athenian Navy. This led to Athens' surrender in 404 BCE, marking the end of the Peloponnesian War with a Spartan victory.
How did the Peloponnesian War affect the balance of power in Greece, and what were the long-term consequences?
-The Peloponnesian War significantly weakened both Athens and Sparta, as well as many Greek city-states. This left the region vulnerable to external threats. In the 4th century, Philip II of Macedon exploited this vulnerability to attack and eventually unify the city-states of Greece.

Outlines

00:00

🏺 The Rivalry and First Peloponnesian War

The video script begins by discussing the historical context of the 5th Century BCE, where Athens and Sparta, initially allied against the Persian invaders, soon found themselves at odds. The Spartans, wary of the growing Athenian Navy's strength, perceived the Delian League as an emerging Athenian empire. This led to increased tensions, culminating in the First Peloponnesian War. The war was characterized by Sparta's land-based military campaigns against Attica and Athens' naval raids across the Peloponnese and Aegean Coast. The conflict ended with the Peace of 30 Years, which was a temporary truce that failed to resolve the underlying issues.

05:01

🚢 The Peloponnesian War: Archidamian and Syracuse Phases

The second paragraph details the progression of the Peloponnesian War, highlighting the Archidamian War as the first phase, where Sparta, with its formidable army, repeatedly attacked Attica, while Athens used its navy to raid the Peloponnese and Aegean Coast. This phase concluded with the Peace of Nicias, which was intended to last for 50 years but failed to hold for more than a decade. The Athenians, seeking to expand their power, embarked on a disastrous campaign to conquer Syracuse in Sicily, which marked the second phase of the war. The Spartans and their allies, including the Persians, eventually defeated the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami, leading to Athens' surrender in 404 BCE and the end of the Peloponnesian War. The aftermath left Greece weakened and vulnerable to future invasions, setting the stage for Phillip of Macedon's rise in the 4th century.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡5th Century BCE

The 5th Century BCE refers to the period between 500 and 400 BC in ancient Greek history. It was a time marked by significant political, military, and cultural developments. In the context of the video, it sets the stage for the conflicts between Athens and Sparta and the rise of the Persian Empire as a common enemy.

💡Athens

Athens was an ancient Greek city-state known for its cultural and political achievements. It was a key player in the Peloponnesian War, as detailed in the video, where its naval power and the establishment of the Delian League were central to the conflict with Sparta.

💡Sparta

Sparta was another prominent ancient Greek city-state, renowned for its military prowess and strict social hierarchy. In the video, Sparta is depicted as a rival to Athens, with tensions escalating into the First Peloponnesian War and later the full-scale Peloponnesian War.

💡Persian Invasions

The Persian Invasions refer to two major military campaigns by the Persian Empire against Greece in the early 5th century BCE. These invasions are significant to the video's narrative as they initially united Athens and Sparta against a common enemy, setting the stage for later conflicts.

💡Delian League

The Delian League was a naval alliance formed by Athens in the 5th century BCE to continue the fight against the Persians after the Persian Wars. However, as explained in the video, it increasingly became an instrument of Athenian imperialism, which contributed to the rising tensions with Sparta.

💡First Peloponnesian War

The First Peloponnesian War was a conflict between the Athenian-led Delian League and the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. The video describes it as the first significant open conflict between Athens and Sparta, which was a precursor to the larger Peloponnesian War.

💡Peace of 30 Years

The Peace of 30 Years was a treaty that ended the First Peloponnesian War. As mentioned in the video, it was intended to last for 30 years but only held for about 15 years, with tensions continuing to simmer between Athens and Sparta.

💡Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War was a series of conflicts between Athens and Sparta that took place from 431 to 404 BCE. The video focuses on this war as the central theme, detailing its various phases and the eventual Spartan victory.

💡Archidamian War

The Archidamian War was the first phase of the Peloponnesian War, named after King Archidamus II of Sparta. As the video explains, it was characterized by Sparta's land-based attacks on Athenian territory and Athens' naval raids on the Peloponnese and Aegean Coast.

💡Syracuse

Syracuse was a powerful city-state in ancient Sicily. The video recounts the disastrous Athenian expedition to Syracuse in 415 BCE as a significant event in the second phase of the Peloponnesian War, which aimed to extend Athenian power but ended in the destruction of the Athenian fleet.

💡Ionian War

The Ionian War, also known as the Decelean War, was the third phase of the Peloponnesian War. The video describes it as a period when many city-states in the Athenian empire began to revolt, with Sparta receiving aid from the Persians, leading to a decisive Spartan victory at the Battle of Aegospotami.

💡Philip of Macedon

Philip II of Macedon was a historical figure who emerged after the Peloponnesian War. As the video suggests, he capitalized on the weakened state of the Greek city-states to unify them under his rule, marking a significant shift in the power dynamics of the region.

Highlights

The 5th Century BCE begins with Athens and Sparta united against Persian invaders.

Post-Persian conflict, tensions rise between Athens and Sparta as Sparta fears Athenian naval power.

Athens forms the Delian League, which increasingly resembles an Athenian empire.

The analogy of the game Risk is used to describe the power dynamics between Sparta and Athens.

Sparta's insecurity over Athens' influence leads to a Helot uprising and a breakdown in their alliance.

Athens allies with Megara, prompting the Spartan declaration of war and the First Peloponnesian War.

The Peace of 30 Years is an attempt to resolve conflicts but lasts only about 15 years.

The Delian League's power grows, escalating tensions leading to the actual Peloponnesian War.

In 431 BCE, King of Sparta invades Attica, beginning the Archidamian War.

The Archidamian War is characterized by Sparta's land attacks and Athens' naval raids.

The Peace of Nicias, intended to last 50 years, ends after a much shorter period due to ongoing skirmishes.

Athens' failed attempt to conquer Syracuse in 415 marks the second phase of the Peloponnesian War.

The Ionian War, or Decelean War, sees city-states of the Athenian empire revolt with Spartan and Persian aid.

The decisive naval battle at Aegospotami in 405 BCE leads to the Spartan victory in the Peloponnesian War.

The Peloponnesian War's aftermath leaves Greece weakened and vulnerable to future attacks.

Phillip of Macedon exploits Greece's vulnerability in the 4th century to unify the city-states.

Transcripts

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Takeaways

Q & A

What was the primary cause of tension between Athens and Sparta after the Persian Wars?

Why did Sparta feel insecure about Athens' military power after the Persian invasions?

What event led to the outbreak of the First Peloponnesian War?

What was the Peace of 30 Years, and how long did it last?

How did the Athenian Navy contribute to the expansion of the Athenian Empire?

Who was the King of Sparta during the beginning of the Peloponnesian War, and what was his role?

What was the strategic significance of the Athenians' failed attempt to conquer Syracuse?

What was the Ionian War, and how did it relate to the Peloponnesian War?

How did the Persians become involved in the Peloponnesian War, despite their previous conflict with the Greeks?

What was the outcome of the decisive naval battle at Aegospotami in 405 BCE?

How did the Peloponnesian War affect the balance of power in Greece, and what were the long-term consequences?