POLS 2200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Siege Of Melos, Delian League, Peloponnesian League
1 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
In aftermath of the persian wars between greek city states and the persian empire (500-479. ), the greek poleis (city states) formed two alliances or leagues. Athens supplied most of the military force to the delian league thanks to its superior naval fleet the other city states provided financial support. Sparta was originally offered leadership of the league but declined. Sparta became the hegemon of the land-based peloponnesian league also called spartan. Athens transformed the delian league into an athenian empire. Sparta and many other greek states came to fear athens"s growing power: when athens attempted to gain control of supplies of grain, timber, and precious metals at their source, sparta declared war. The result was the peloponnesian war (431-404) in which the majority of city states divided up into two sides led by athens and sparta. Melos: small, relatively sparsely populated island, surrounded by several other smaller islands which were members of the athenian.
