Peloponnesian War

The Peloponnesian War (431–413 BC) was an Ancient Greek military conflict, fought by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta. In the first phase of the war, the Archidamian War, Sparta launched repeated invasions of Attica, while Athens took advantage of its naval supremacy to raid the coast of the Peloponnese, while attempting to suppress signs of unrest in its empire. This period of the war was concluded in 421 BC, with the signing of the Peace of Nicias. That treaty, however, was soon undermined by renewed fighting in the Peloponnese. In 415 BC, Athens dispatched a massive expeditionary force to attack Syracuse in Sicily; despite the political cloud that hung over Athenian general Alikibiades, the expedition was a success, and Syracuse became an Athenian puppet. Flush with victory, the Athenians attacked and conquered Sparta itself, ending the conflict among the Greek states.