The Peloponnesian War

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses and evaluates the Peloponnesian War through an examination of the individuals involved in the war, the circumstances surrounding the war, the culture of the time and the legend of the war.

From the Paper:

"Although Athens was on a course of reconstruction and economic development the between Sparta and Athens began to deteriorate. In a rather small war between Corcyra (supported by Sparta) and Corinth (supported by Athens), Athens became subjected to a Spartan siege or a participant in the great Peloponnesian War or wars from 431BC to 404BC. Not only was Athens under continual attack from Sparta but also in 430BC Athens was beset with a plague that lasted several years and consumed almost 25% of the Athenian population. However, even with the plague Sparta was unable to pierce the defensive walls of Athens that linked Athens to Piraeus and as such foodstuffs managed to be brought into the beleaguered city Warner, 1954). As a sidebar note, and absent of any recorded historical evidence, the plague that nearly crushed Athens was thought to be the work of the Spartans - by catapulting their own plague afflicted soldiers over the walls into Athens. In an attempt to rid their city-state area of Spartans Athens sent an enormous army of soldiers (415BC) against the Spartans. As a direct loss of the in the battlefield Athens suffered political uncertainty and in 411BC democracy was officially dismantled and the system was replaced by a council of 400 men who attempted to assert control over all Athens."

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• Analytical Essay # 89665 : "Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War"
• Term Paper # 104014 : "The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC)"

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