Peloponnesischer Krieg
Als Ehrgeiz und Tradition aufeinanderprallten, zerriss Griechenland sich selbst: Ein dreißigjähriger Kampf voller Feuer, Hungersnot und Verrat, der den Ruhm Athens und den Stolz Spartas zunichte machte.
Quick Facts
- Period
- -431 - -404
- Region
- Europe
- Casualties
- Estimated 100,000+ dead, countless more wounded, enslaved, or displaced.
- Outcome
- Sparta emerged victorious, ending Athenian dominance, but the Greek world lay weakened, scarred, and ripe for future conquest.
- Key Figures
- Archidamus II, Cleon, Lysander +2 more
Key Figures
Archidamus II
King
SpartaArchidamus II, king of Sparta from around 469 to 427 BCE, stands as a study in contrasts—an enigmatic leader whose perso...
Cleon
Demagogue, General
AthensCleon, whose rise to prominence marked one of the most turbulent chapters in Athenian democracy, was a figure defined as...
Lysander
Naval Commander, Statesman
SpartaLysander stands as one of the most enigmatic and divisive figures of classical antiquity—a man whose intellect, ambition...
Nicias
General, Statesman
AthensNicias stands as one of the most paradoxical figures of classical Athens—a man of immense wealth and public piety, yet w...
Pericles
Strategos (General), Statesman
AthensPericles stands as both the architect of Athenian greatness and a symbol of its paradoxes—a man whose brilliance illumin...
The Story
This narrative combines documented history with dramatized scenes for storytelling purposes.
Spannungen & Vorboten
In der drückenden Hitze des späten 5. Jahrhunderts v. Chr. stand die griechische Welt am Rande einer Katastrophe. Zwei große Stadtstaaten – Athen und Sparta – b...
Funke & Ausbruch
Der Krieg kam nicht mit einem einzigen Donnerschlag, sondern mit einer Reihe von gezackten Erschütterungen. Im Frühjahr 431 v. Chr., als die Nacht schwer über B...
Eskalation
KAPITEL 3: Eskalation Als der Peloponnesische Krieg in sein zweites und drittes Jahr ging, wurde die Gewalt immer unerbittlicher. Was als Wettstreit um Stärke u...
Wendepunkt
KAPITEL 4: Wendepunkt Die Sizilienexpedition war Athens großes, rücksichtsloses Wagnis – der Moment, in dem Ehrgeiz die Vorsicht verdrängte und das Schicksal ei...
Entschluss & Nachwirkungen
Im Jahr 404 v. Chr. war Athen eine Stadt, die im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes belagert wurde. Der stolze Marmor der Langen Mauern, einst glänzende Symbole für die ...
Timeline
Surrender of Athens
Athens, starved and besieged, surrenders to Sparta. The Long Walls are torn down, ending the war and the Athenian empire.
Location: Athens, Greece
Battle of Aegospotami
Lysander's Spartan fleet destroys the last Athenian navy, cutting off the city’s grain supply and sealing its fate.
Location: Aegospotami, Hellespont
Oligarchic Coup in Athens
A group of oligarchs briefly overthrows the democracy, installing the rule of the Four Hundred before being ousted.
Location: Athens, Greece
Zerstörung der Athener Armee in Sizilien
Die athener Expedition endet in einer Katastrophe; die gesamte Streitmacht wird zerstört oder gefangen genommen, was Athen bis ins Mark erschüttert.
Location: Syracuse, Sicily
Start der Sizilianischen Expedition
Athen sendet eine massive Flotte, um Syrakus in Sizilien zu erobern, was die ehrgeizigste Kampagne des Krieges markiert.
Location: Athens, Greece / Syracuse, Sicily
Siege and Massacre of Melos
Athens besieges the neutral island of Melos, then executes the men and enslaves the women and children after their refusal to surrender.
Location: Melos, Greece
Peace of Nicias
A temporary truce is agreed upon between Athens and Sparta, but underlying tensions soon reignite hostilities.
Location: Athens, Greece
Battle of Sphacteria
Athenian forces capture hundreds of Spartan hoplites on the island of Sphacteria, a shocking blow to Spartan prestige.
Location: Sphacteria, Greece
Siege and Fall of Potidaea
After a brutal siege, Potidaea surrenders to Athens. The population suffers execution, starvation, and enslavement.
Location: Potidaea, Greece
Outbreak of Plague in Athens
A deadly plague strikes the overcrowded city, killing tens of thousands, including Pericles, and devastating morale.
Location: Athens, Greece
Theban Attack on Plataea
Thebes, allied with Sparta, launches a surprise attack on the Athenian ally Plataea, marking the violent start of open hostilities.
Location: Plataea, Greece
First Spartan Invasion of Attica
Archidamus II leads the Spartan army into Athenian territory, burning crops and villages as Athenians retreat behind their walls.
Location: Attica, Greece
Sources
- wikipediaPeloponnesian War
Comprehensive overview of the war's chronology and major events.
- bookThe Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan
Definitive modern account of the conflict and its context.
- primaryHistory of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides
Primary source from a contemporary Athenian historian.
- podcastBBC In Our Time: The Peloponnesian War
Discussion of the war’s causes, course, and legacy.
- bookThe Landmark Thucydides
Annotated edition with maps and scholarly commentary.
- encyclopediaSparta and Athens: The Peloponnesian War
Concise summary and thematic analysis.
- webThe Peloponnesian War: A Captivating Guide
Narrative-driven summary for general readers.
- documentaryThe Fall of Athens (BBC Documentary)
Visual and narrative exploration of Athens’ decline.
- encyclopediaOxford Classical Dictionary: Peloponnesian War
Scholarly reference for events and figures.
Connected Across The Archives
Explore specific connections to other archives—civilizations, dynasties, companies, and treaties that share history with this conflict.
Civilization Archive
(6)Achaemenid Persian Empire
The Achaemenid Persian Empire's financial and military support to Sparta was instrumental in Athens' defeat during the Peloponnesian War.
Ancient Greek Civilization
The Peloponnesian War marked a pivotal struggle between Athens and Sparta, ultimately weakening Greek city-states and altering Ancient Greek civilization's trajectory.
Assyrian Empire
Assyrian military innovations and governance strategies indirectly shaped Greek warfare tactics employed during the Peloponnesian War.
Byzantine Empire
The Peloponnesian War's shifts in power dynamics contributed to the political landscape influencing the Byzantine Empire's development centuries later.
Hellenistic Civilization
The Peloponnesian War's devastation paved the way for Macedonian dominance, facilitating the spread of Hellenistic culture under Alexander the Great's empire.
Roman Republic
The Peloponnesian War's transformative impact on Greek politics indirectly influenced the emerging Roman Republic's strategic considerations.
Treaty Archive
(2)Peace of Callias
The Peace of Callias established a precedent for Greek-Persian diplomacy, setting a historical context for later conflicts like the Peloponnesian War.
Peace of Nicias
The Peace of Nicias temporarily paused the Peloponnesian War, highlighting the fragile diplomacy between Athens and Sparta amidst ongoing hostilities.
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