The Battle Of The Peloponnesian War - 1031 Words

What a society considers fighting, and dying, for says a lot about that society. Homer’s The Iliad, and Thucydides’ The History of the Peloponnesian War are both centered on some of the largest wars that their authors knew about. In the case of The Iliad, this war started when Paris offended the honor of the Spartan king, Menelaus, by taking Helen, the king’s wife. This is just an example of the culture of the times because, right from the start, the Greeks of Homer fight for their honor. Thucydides lived during the Peloponnesian War, hundreds of years after Homer. During those hundreds of years, war itself had fundamentally changed. In The History of the Peloponnesian War, honor was still important, but the war’s main purpose was much more tangible. The main cause of the Peloponnesian War was Athens’ desire for more land, more tribute states, and, most importantly, more power. Both of the works deal largely with why the people in them think the war s are worth fighting. In the case of The Iliad, the battles, both for the states and the people fighting, are fought for honor, while in The History of the Peloponnesian War, Athens fights for the power of her empire. In Homer’s work, the Trojan War is fought not for conquest or wealth but for the honor of the Spartan king Menelaus after he had his wife taken by Paris of Troy. In the eyes of the Greeks, this was a slight on his honor worthy of war. Early on in the work, Helen despairs at being the cause of the war. She lamentsShow MoreRelatedThe Battle Of The Peloponnesian War1494 Words   |  6 PagesThe Peloponnesian War finally ended in 405 BC, when the Athenians stopped to gather fresh water and supplies, leaving themselves vulnerable to the Spartans. The Athenians did a poor job of keeping an eye out for enemy ships, which is an important strategy during war. The Corinthians and Spartans suddenly attacked the Athenians and almost defeated Athens’ entire fleet. A large amount of the 180 Athenian ships were lost, while the 20 Spartan ships came out barely harmed. There could be no possibleRead MoreThe Time Between The Peloponnesian War And The Battle Of Second Mantineia1488 Word s   |  6 PagesThis book is a history of the time between the Peloponnesian War and the Battle of Second Mantineia. During this time period the Spartans had just finished defeating the Athenians in the Peloponnesian War and were now the central power in Greece. As the book continues on you are shown that the city-state of Thebes was rising to power and eventually overtaking Spartan as the main power of the time. The author of the book is Godfrey Hutchinson. He is a historian and is an expert on all thingsRead MoreSparta s Dependence On Persian Money1444 Words   |  6 PagesSparta’s dependence on Persian money in the last years of the war reflects another consequence of this alliance. At the onset of the Peloponnesian War, Sparta positioned itself as the liberators of Greece. They justified their aggression by claiming their primary objective was to free those living under Athenian tyranny. Thucydides claims most Greeks hoped for a Spartan victory, Men’s feelings inclined much more to the Spartans, especially as they proclaimed themselves the liberators of Hellas. NoRead MoreThe Cause that Led to the Beginning of the Peloponnesian War Essay825 Words   |  4 PagesThe Cause that Led to the Beginning of the Peloponnesian War Ancient Greece during 4th Century BC was home to the city states of Sparta and Athens, who during this time were the superpowers of the region. The Peloponnesian war between these city states and their respective allies lasted from 431-404 BC, although conflicts between the two had dated back further. Major fighting in the war occurred from 431-421 and ended in Athenian victory. However, renewed conflict Read MoreThe War Of The Persian War854 Words   |  4 PagesAncient Greece there were many famous wars and conquerors, in every era. These wars were all recorded in early history and lasted a couple of years. The only one that was not, or is thought to be made up, is the Trojan War. The only things they can go off of are the stories and the ruins of the city of Troy. Another famous war was the Persian wars. This war was the first big war between the persian empire and Spartans/Athens. After the Persian war, the Peloponnesian war took place, which was led by spartaRead More Aristophanes the Comic Writer Essay1232 Words   |  5 Pagesthinks is the absurdity of the Peloponnesian War. The comedy is a brilliantly constructed piece with an extremely profound underlying message encouraging a Panhellenic society. He does not see the point of the battles within the country and wishes a unification of the city-states. Therefore through his work he wishes to enlighten the people of Greece. In order to understand the meaning behind Aristophanes’ play, some background history of the events leading up to the war is needed. There are three importantRead MoreAncient Greece : A Single Political Body850 Words   |  4 Pages In the first section of the chapter describing ancient Greece, Paul Cartledge explains that researchers know how and in what way the ancient Greeks surrendered in battle, but do not know exactly why they surrendered since they did not keep a comprehensive account of their surrenders. Cartledge goes on to describe ancient Greece, not as a single political body, but being composed of one thousand separate, widely dispersed entities known as city-states. Some of these city-states, including AthensRead MoreThe Great Peloponnesian War Essay1290 Words   |  6 Pages While the war may have been over, relations between Athens and Sparta continued to go sour. Athens continued to grow in power, and was beginning to pose a threat to Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. A series of conflicts occurred during the â€Å"Thirty Year’s Peace† that pushed Sparta and Athens to war again. For example, Athens intervened in a dispute between a colony and a city-state during the Corinth-Corcyra War. Corcyra (the city-state) was backed by Athens, while Epidamnos (the colony) wasRead MoreThe Topic Of Fate Of Ancient Greece During The Golden Age1136 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Delian League. Sparta, who had left the league shortly after the defeat of the Persians, had created their own league, the Peloponnesian League. The two leagues signed the Thirty Years Treaty, which stated that the two leagues may not fight for thirty years. Athens went against the treaty by helping a city-state who was in the other league. Athens and Sparta declare war against o ne another shortly after. Homer s Illiad and Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannos had an effect on the citizens of Athens inRead MoreThe Major Causes Of The Trojan War And Peloponnesian War1214 Words   |  5 Pagesinterested in war, but war is interested in you† (â€Å"Peloponnesian War†). Ever since the earliest, most ancient wars, fighting has been the most ran-to solution for territorial, power, and social conflicts. As exhibited through the Trojan War, Peloponnesian War, and Corinthian War, territorial controversy, material exchange, and leadership disagreements were the major causes for ancient war. Each war ended with the destruction of a side’s territory and economic stability. Firstly, the Trojan War began when