The Peloponnesian War

Led by Mardonius, the first campaign successfully re-subjugated Thrace and made Macedon a Persian client kingdom. However, progress was hindered when Mardonius' fleet encountered a storm off Mount Athos. Despite this setback, Darius, having received submission from most Greek city-states, faced resistance from Athens and Sparta.

I. Prelude to Conflict: The Peloponnesian War, spanning from 431 BC to 404 BC, was a significant ancient Greek conflict between Athens and Sparta, along with their respective allies. The central struggle revolved around the quest for hegemony in the Greek world.

II. Unsettled Warfare: The war remained in a state of uncertainty for a prolonged period until the pivotal intervention of the Persian Empire, aligning with Sparta. Under the leadership of Lysander, the Spartan fleet, financially supported by Persia, ultimately defeated Athens, ushering in a period of Spartan dominance over Greece.

III. Three Phases of Strife: Historians traditionally segmented the war into three phases. The first, from 431 BC to 421 BC, known as the Ten Years War or Archidamian War, featured strategic invasions by Sparta's Archidamus II and the effectiveness of Athens' Long Walls. The Peace of Nicias in 421 BC marked a temporary halt until 413 BC.

IV. Sicilian Expedition and Proxy Battles: The Peace of Nicias saw proxy battles, including the Battle of Mantinea in 418 BC. Notably, the Sicilian Expedition (415–413 BC) resulted in a naval disaster for Athens, severely impacting its navy and strengthening Sparta's position.

V. Persian Support and Spartan Victory: The third phase (413–404 BC), named the Decelean War or Ionian War, saw Persian support for Sparta. Lysander's fleet achieved decisive victories, notably at Aegospotamos in 405 BC. Athens capitulated in 404 BC, losing its empire. Lysander imposed puppet oligarchies, leading to the Thirty Tyrants regime in Athens.

VI. Reshaping Greece: The aftermath of the Peloponnesian War reshaped ancient Greece. Athens, once dominant, faced near-complete subjection, while Sparta emerged as the leading power. Economic repercussions were felt across Greece, with widespread poverty in the Peloponnese and Athens devastated. The conflict altered Greek society, transforming warfare from a limited form into an all-out struggle between city-states, marked by large-scale atrocities and the end of the golden age of Greece in the fifth century BC.