Prelude to the Peloponnesian War | World History | Khan Academy

TL;DR

After the Persian invasions, Athens and Sparta's alliance breaks down, leading to skirmishes and the First Peloponnesian War.

Transcript

• [Narrator] In the last few videos we talked about the Greco Persian wars or we could say the Persian invasion of Greece. And in the first wave, the first Persian invasion, the Athenians were able to stop them at Marathon. And then in the second Persian invasion led by Xerxes they were able to route the Persian navy at Salamis and eventually get r... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ The Persian invasions created a temporary alliance between Athens and Sparta, but their differing interests and concerns caused a breakdown in their relationship.
• 🙈 Athens' construction of a defensive wall and formation of the Delian League heightened tensions with Sparta, who saw it as a threat to their power.
• 🥺 Skirmishes and conflicts between Athens and Sparta's allies led to the First Peloponnesian War, which further weakened Greece.

Questions & Answers

Q: What were the causes of the breakdown in the alliance between Athens and Sparta?

The breakdown was primarily caused by Athens' construction of a defensive wall around their city and their growing naval power, which made Sparta feel threatened.

Q: What was the Delian League, and why did it cause tension between Athens and Sparta?

The Delian League was a military alliance formed by Athens to protect against further Persian invasions. However, Athens began to assert dominance over the League, leading to concerns about Athenian imperialism from Sparta.

Q: How did the First Peloponnesian War start?

The war began with skirmishes between Athens and Sparta's allies, triggered by Athens' intervention in a dispute between Corinth and Megara.

Q: What were the consequences of the First Peloponnesian War?

The war weakened the city-states of Greece and set the stage for the eventual Peloponnesian War. It also left Greece vulnerable to invasion from Macedonia in the fourth century BCE.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Following the Persian invasions, Athens and Sparta, previously united, begin to have tensions and concerns about each other's growing power.

• Athens builds a wall around their city, causing unease for Sparta, who suggests building a defensive wall at the Isthmus of Corinth instead.

• Athens forms the Delian League, which eventually becomes an Athenian empire and increases tensions with Sparta.

• Skirmishes between Athens and Sparta, known as the First Peloponnesian War, occur over the next 15 years, leading to the eventual Peloponnesian War.