PeloponnesianWar:AthensBackgroundGuide

EagleMUNC

BostonCollegeModelUnitedNationsConference

Chair: JamesPowleslandpowlesla@bc.edu

Website: www.EagleMUNC.org

March18-202016

DelianLeague/Athens

COMMITTEETOPICBACKGROUNDGUIDE Introduction

EsteemedDelegates,WelcometoEagleMUNCIV!MynameisJamesPowleslandanditismygreatpleasure

toserveastheChairoftheDelianLeagueforthePeloponnesianWar.Iamcurrentlyajunior

studyingMarketingandLeadership&ManagementintheCarrollSchoolofManagementof

BostonCollege.ThiswillbebothmythirdyearservingasachairinEagleMUNCaswellasmy

thirdyearchairingacrisiscommittee.

OurthemethisyearisLibertyandSecurity.Thesetwonotionswereattheforefrontof

themindsetofallAncientGreekcity-statesandinessencedictatedtheirpoliticsandpolicies.

WiththeirautonomychallengedtwicealreadybythePersianEmpireinthePersianWars,the

city-stateshadalreadyformedalliancesbetweenthemselvesinordertoensureaunifiedbattle

frontanddriveoffthePersianinvaders.AftertheendofthesecondPersianWar,however,the

perfectlyunifiedGreekfrontbegantofracture.WiththePersianshumiliatedandlackingmuch

oftheirformerstrength,theGreeksbegantochangetheirconceptofLibertyandSecurity;

fromfightingagainstforeigninvaderstoensuringthattheirowncity-statereignedsupreme

aboveallothers.Inthewakeofthealliancesandpoliticalmomentumthathadbeennecessary

todefeatthePersians,twolargecoalitionscameintobeing.ThefirstwastheDelianLeague,

spearheadedbyAthens,andthesecondwasthePeloponnesianLeague,ledbySparta.The

rivalrybetweenthetwocity-statesrandeepandhaditsrootsinantiquity.Atheniansregarding

theSpartansaswarmongeringbruteswhiletheSpartansregardedtheformerassoft,

DelianLeague/Athens

cowardlyphilosophers.Thesetensionsandthepowercollectedbyeachcitymadethe

followingconfrontationunavoidable.Intheend,neitherofthetwocity-statesmanagedto

claimtruevictoryovertheother,astheywerebothdrainedofresources,manpowerandallies.

ThisallowedthemtobelaterdefeatedbytheMacedoniansunderPhillipandAlexanderthe

Great,whofinallymanagedtorealizethedreamofaunifiedGreece.

Thiswhereyoucomein,delegates.AsmembersoftheesteemedandpowerfulDelian

League,youraimisnowtoproveonceandforallthatyoustandabovethewarmongering

Spartans.Throughoutthecourseofthiscommittee,youwillbegrantedtheopportunityto

reshapehistorywithyouractionsanddecisions.WhethertheDelianLeaguewillstand

supremeandunitetheentiretyofGreeceintoasinglepowertorivalthePersiansisentirelyin

yourhands.Iwishyouthebestofluck!

DelianLeague/Athens

HistoricalBackground

OutcomeofthePersianWars

AfterdefeatingthePersianinvasionofGreeceintheyear480B.C.,Athensbecamethe

leaderoftheGreekcity-statecoalitionthatcontinuedthewarandcoordinatedattackson

PersianterritoriesintheAegeanandIonia.Whatthenensuedwasaperiodknownasthe

“Pentecontaetia,”inwhichAthenssolidifieditsholdoveritsalliedcity-statesandcarriedout

anaggressivewaragainstPersia.Bythemiddleofthecentury,thePersianshadbeendriven

outfromtheAegeanandwereforcedtocedecontrolofalargeswathofterritoriestoAthens.

ThiswasonlythefirststepinAthens’risetopower;anumberofitsformerlyindependentallies

werereduced,overthecourseofthecentury,tothestatusoftribute-payingsubjectstatesof

theDelianLeague.ThistributewasusedinparttofundandsustainapowerfulAthenianfleet

taskedwithsafeguardingthealliesfromfurtherPersianincursions.Afterthemiddleofthe

century,thetributeswerealsousedtofundmassivepublicworkprogramsinAthens,which

fosteredtheresentmentofthealliedcity-states.

RisingTensions

“ThegrowthofthepowerofAthens,andthealarmwhichthisinspiredinLacedaemon,

madewarinevitable.”FrictionbetweenAthensandthePeloponnesianstates,mostnotably

Sparta,beganearlyinthePentecontaetia.AfterthedefeatofthePersiansandtheir

subsequentretreatfromGreece,Spartaattemptedtopreventthereconstructionofthewalls

ofAthens.Withoutthosewalls,Athenswouldhavebeendefenselessagainstalandattackand

DelianLeague/Athens

averyeasytargetfortheextremelycapableSpartanlandforces.NaturallytheAthenians

rebuffedthisrequestand,althoughtheSpartanstooknoimmediateactionatthistime,

Thucydidesnotesthatthey“secretlyfeltaggrieved.”ConflictbetweenAthensandSparta

flaredupagainin465B.C.duetoahelotrevoltwhichbrokeoutinthelatter.Inordertoquell

thisrevolt,theSpartanssummonedforcesfromalltheirallies,includingAthens.WhenAthens

sentoutasizablecontingentofapproximately4,000hoplites,theSpartans,whoallowedall

otheralliedmilitaryforcestoremainandassistthem,dismissedituponarrival.Thucydides

hypothesizedthatthiswasdoneduetofearamongsttheSpartansthattheAthenianswould

switchsidesandsupportthehelots.Thetruereasonswerenevermadecertain,butAthenians

regardedthistreatmentasagraveinsultand,asaresult,renouncedtheirpreviousalliance

withSparta.WhenthehelotrebellionwasquelledandSpartaforcedtherebelstoleaveits

borders,theAthenianswentsofarastohelpthemsettleatNaupactusontheCorinthianGulf,

acityofgreatstrategicimportance.

FirstPeloponnesianWar

In495B.C.,AthenstookadvantageofawarbetweenMegaraandCorinthtoforgean

alliancewithMegara.BothcitieswereexistingalliesofSpartaand,ofcourse,theSpartansdid

nottakekindlytothisinvasionontheirsphereofinfluence.Whilethismoveaffordedthe

AtheniansacriticalfootholdontheIsthmusofCorinth,itwasthesparkthatignitedthe

PeloponnesianWar.Theconflictlastedforfifteenyearsand,throughoutitscourse,the

AtheniansfoughtintermittentlyagainstSpartans,Corinthians,andanumberofotherGreek

city-states.Throughoutthecourseoftheconflict,Athens’influencefluctuated.Inadditionto

DelianLeague/Athens

itsexistingallies,AthensalsomanagedtocontrolMegaraandBoeotia;attheendofthe

conflicthowever,amassiveSpartaninvasioninAtticaforcedtheAthenianstocedethelands

theyhadwonontheGreekmainland.Thatbeingsaid,AthensandSpartarecognizedeach

other’srighttocontroltheirrespectivealliancesystems.Thewarwasofficiallyendedbythe

ThirtyYears’Peace,signedinthewinterof446-445B.C.

ErosionoftheThirtyYearsPeace

DelianLeaguein431BC

DelianLeague/Athens

TheThirtyYears’PeacewasfirstchallengedwhenSamos,oneofAthens’mostpotent

allies,rebelledagainstthelatterin440B.C.ThefactthatSamoshadgainedthesupportofa

Persiansatrap,whichcouldestablishaprecedentforfurtherrevoltsthroughouttheDelian

League,exacerbatedmattersgreatly.NaturallytheSpartanssensedanopportunityforwar

againstAthensandcalledasummitfortheiralliesinwhichtheydiscussedwhetheritwas

prudenttowagewaragainstAthens.InlargepartduetoCorinth’sreluctance,thesummit

decidedagainstopenwarand,asaresult,Athensmanagedtocrushtherevoltunhindered.

Thesecondeventthatchallengedthepeacewasthehostilitiesthatemergedbetween

AthensandCorinth.CorinthhadbeguntobuildastrongnavyafteritsdefeatbyCorcyra,one

ofitsoldcoloniesandastrongnavalforce,thusfarwithnoaffiliationtoeitherSpartaor

Athens.ThisledaveryapprehensiveCorcyratoseekanalliancewithAthens.Afteran

extensivedebateandentertainingdelegationsfrombothCorcyraandCorinth,Athensdecided

toenteradefensivealliancewithCorcyra.ThisalliancebetweenCorcyraandAthensplayeda

criticalroleintheBattleofSybota,wherethecontingentofAthenianshipsplayedavitalrole

inpreventingtheCorinthianfleetfromcapturingCorcyra.DuetothetermsoftheThirtyYears’

Peace,AthenswasnotallowedtoparticipateintheconflictbetweentheCorinthandCorcyra

unlessitbecameclearthatthefirstwasfullyintendingtoinvadethesecond.Ofcourse,the

Atheniansdisobeyedthatcommandandinvolvedthemselvesintheconflictfromthe

beginning,usingthethreatoftheiroriginalsmallfleetcontingentaswellasthearrivalof

reinforcementstoforcetheCorinthianstoretreat.

ThethirdeventthatchallengedthepeacewastheAtheniantreatmentofPotidaea,a

memberoftheDelianLeaguebutalsoanothercolonyofCorinth.Duetotheirearlierconflict

DelianLeague/Athens

withCorinth,theAthenianwrathfelluponPotidaea:thecitywasaskedtoprovideAthenswith

hostages,dismissallCorinthianofficers,andteardownitswalls.Naturally,thePotidaeans,

encouragedbytheoutragedCorinthians,electedtorevoltagainstAthens.Thisledtoanother

violationofthepeace,fortheCorinthiansstartedtounofficiallysneaktheirownsoldiersinto

thebesiegedcityinordertohelp,thusbreakingthetermthatstatedthattheDelianand

PeloponnesianLeaguewouldnotinterfereineachother’saffairs.

Thefourtheventthatchallengedthepeacewasthetradesanctionimposedupon

MegarabyAthensin433B.C.AllegedlythepeopleofMegarahaddesecratedtheHieraOrgas,

averyimportantreligiousceremony.Athenselectedtradesanctionstobetheirpunishment.A

tradesanctionfromAthens,however,entailedatradingsanctionfromtheentiretyofthe

DelianLeague,whichwasaverytoughblowfortheMegarianeconomy.SeeingasMegarahad

returnedtobeinganallyofSpartaaftertheendoftheFirstPeloponnesianWar,thistreatment

wasconsideredablowtowardstheentiretyofthePeloponnesianLeague.

Intheend,alltheseeventsledtoacouncilofthePeloponnesianLeague,whichwas

heldinSpartaat432B.C.Thepurposeofthecouncilwastoallowallthosewhofelttheyhad

beenwrongedbyAthenstomakeacasebeforetheSpartanassembly.Thepresenceofan

uninvitedAtheniandelegationgaverisetoaheateddebate,whichculminatedinthe

CorinthianscondemningtheSpartaninactivityandtheAtheniansremindingtheSpartansof

theirownmilitarystrength,aswellasadvisingthemtoseekarbitrationasperthetermsofthe

Peace.Forbetterorworse,themajorityoftheAssemblyvotedtodeclarewar.Assuch,the

ThirtyYearPeacewasbroken.

DelianLeague/Athens

ArchidamianWarandPeaceofNicias

Inthebeginning,itwasextremelydifficultforthetwosidestofightadecisivebattle.

ThePeloponnesianLeaguewarassetsweremostlylandbased,whileDelianLeaguerelied

moreheavilyonitsnavy.ThustheSpartanstrategyconsistedofinvadingthelandsurrounding

Athensanddestroyingitsproductivity,whichwasnoteffectiveduetothreereasons.First,

Athenshadalreadyestablishedstrongtradenetworksoverthesea,whichitcoulduseto

provideitselfwithallthesuppliesitneeded.Second,therebuiltAthenianwallsweretoo

strongfortheSpartanarmytobreakandtoohighforittoscalethem.Third,theSpartanarmy

couldonlyoccupythoselandsforalimitedtimeoftimeperinvasion,sincethemenwere

expectedtocontributeintheharvestandkeepthehelotsundercontrol.Thelongestinvasion,

whichwasin430B.C.,lastedjustfortydays.

TheAthenianstrategy,whichwasinitiallyoutlinedbythegeneralPericles,wastoavoid

large-scalebattleswiththesuperiorPeloponnesianinfantryforceandtorelyheavilyonnaval

combat.ThisstrategywassuccessfulandledtoanAthenianvictoryinNaupactus,butitwas

nottolastforlong.In430B.C.,aplagueravagedAthens,wipingoutasubstantialpartofthe

population,includingPericles.ThisnotonlyseverelycrippledAthenianmanpower;italso

madeitmuchlessattractivetomercenaryforces,whichrefusedtofightalongsidethedisease-

riddenAthenians.However,italsoforcedtheSpartanstobreaktheirsiegeandreturnto

Lacedaemoninahurryinordertoavoidcontractingthediseasethemselves.

DelianLeague/Athens

AfterthedeathofPericles,thetwogeneralsthatrosetopowerwereCleonand

Demosthenes.Thetwogeneralsadoptedamuchmoreaggressiveoffensivepolicy,

encouragingnavalraidsonthecoastofthePeloponneseaswellasestablishingfortifiedposts

onitandstretchingtheAthenianoperationstoincludeBoeotiaandAnatolia.Itwasatoneof

theseposts,onthesmallislandofSphacteriaoffthecoastofPylos,thatthefirstdecisive

battleofthewarendedinAthens’sfavor.Byprovidingasafeharborforrunawayhelotsat

PylosandthroughtheircloseproximitytoLacedaemon,theAtheniansgoadedtheSpartans

intoaction.InthebattleofPylos(425B.C.),DemosthenesoutmaneuveredtheSpartansand

trappedalargegroupofthemonSphacteria,butwasunabletofinishthemoff.Thisallowed

roomforCleontoseizethevictoryatSphacteriaandaffordedAthensabout120Spartan

hoplitesashostages.ThiswassuchablowtoSpartanmoralethattheysuedforpeace,butthe

warmongeringfactionsupportingCleonensuredthatthetermswerenotaccepted.This

victorywasswiftlycounterbalancedin424B.C.duringtheBattleofDelium,wherethe

BoeotianshandedtheinvadingAthenianlandforcesamajordefeat.

Thestageforthelastlarge-scalebattleofthewarwasAmphipolis;anAtheniancolony

inThracewhosesilverminesgreatlysupportedthewareffortfortheDelianLeague.The

SpartansinitiallysentaforceundergeneralBrasidasduring424B.C.tocaptureAmphipolis,

whichachieveditsgoalandarrivedtherebeforetheAthenianforcesunderThucydidescould

helpreinforcethecity.ThisledtoThucydides’exileandallowedCleontopressforacampaign

toretakeAmphipolis.ThiscampaignculminatedinthebattleofAmphipolisin422B.C.,in

whichAthenslostboththebattleandGeneralCleon.Inastrokeofluck,however,theSpartan

GeneralBrasidaswasalsokilledduringthebattle.Assuch,bothAthensandSpartalostthewill

DelianLeague/Athens

andthenecessaryleadershiptocontinuethewar.Thisallowedforpeacetalks,which

culminatedinapeacebetweenthetwosides,mastermindedbytheAtheniangeneralNicias

andwithveryadvantageoustermsforAthens.

CurrentIssues

TheattainmentofthePeaceaffordedNicias,astaunchdefenderofpeace,great

politicalpowerandensuredthathisplacewascementedintheAthenianpoliticalscene.That

beingsaid,notallofSparta’salliesabidedbythepeace,whichallowedanotherprominent

memberoftheAthenianpoliticalscenetourgetheAthenianstowardsopenwar.Thismember

wasnoneotherthanAlcibiades,anephewofPericlesfromhismother’ssideandheirtooneof

therichestfamiliesinAthens.ThisensuredthatwhilethePeacewasstillineffect,strainswere

constantlyplacedonitbybothsides,thusensuringthatwarneverreallyleftthemindsofthe

people.Inthemeantime,thePersianempirehadundergoneextensivereformsafterits

successivedefeatsatthehandsoftheGreeksanditappearedonceagainreadytorejointhe

scene,allowingitselftolendaneartopleadsofbothsides,whileconstantlyamassingmore

powerandleverageforitself.

BlocPositions ThisbodywillconsiderthesecondpartofthePeloponnesianWar,followingthe

initiationofthePeaceofNicias,fromtheperspectiveoftheDelianLeague.Theprimary

concernofthedelegatesshouldbesolidifyingAthenianpowerandorganizingtheir

relationshipswithpossibleallies.Somemaywanttofocusonestablishingfriendlier

connectionsbetweenAthensandthealliedcity-states,whileothersmaywanttoensure

DelianLeague/Athens

loyaltythroughcontinuousintimidation.Alliancesareever-changingandwiththeever

increasingdesireofthePersianstointerfereinGreekaffairs,itisalsouptothedelegatesto

considertheamountofcooperationandinvolvementthattheDelianLeaguewillhavewith

thosewhoitwasinitiallycreatedtoopposeanddestroy.

QuestionstoConsider

Whendevelopingtheirapproach,thedelegatesshouldconsiderafewofthefollowing

issues.ThefirstisthedesiredlevelofPersianinvolvement.AllowingthePersianstoomuch

involvementmaycauseissueswiththeindependenceandtheauthorityoftheDelianLeague

laterdowntheline.However,spurninganyformofhelpfromthemmayleadtoaheftymilitary

disadvantage,especiallyiftheSpartansdecidetocapitalizeontheirhelp.Anotherthingto

consideristhebesttacticaluseoftheAthenianmilitaryassets.Whiletheinfantryiswithouta

doubtfearlessandwelltrained,itisthenavythattrulysetsAthensabovetherest.Finally,the

delegatesarealsoencouragedtoponderwhethertheDelianLeagueshouldrethinkits

relationshipstowardsitscurrentalliedcity-states.Whilerulingthroughintimidationand

superiormightiscertainlyfeasible,somedelegatesmaydecidetopursueamoreequitableand

gentlepaththatprovideslessofabasisforrebellion.

Alldelegatesareencouragedtodoadditionalresearchontheirindividualpositionsand

powers,andtoconsiderwhattheymightdointheirattempttoestablishapermanent

AthenianEmpire.Ifanydelegateshaveadditionalquestionsregardingtheirpositionsorthe

committeeingeneral,pleasedonothesitatetoemailme.Ilookforwardtoanenjoyableand

productivecommitteeaswerepresentoneofbiggestandmostpromisingpowersforaunified

AncientGreece.

DelianLeague/Athens

WorksCited Thucydides,HistoryofthePeloponnesianWarBagnall,Nigel.ThePeloponnesianWar:Athens,Sparta,AndTheStruggleForGreece.NewYork:ThomasDunneBooks,2006Cawkwell,George.ThucydidesandthePeloponnesianWar.London:Routledge,1997Hutchinson,Godfrey.Attrition:AspectsofCommandinthePeloponnesianWar.Stroud,Gloucestershire,UK:TempusPublishing,2006Kagan,Donald.TheArchidamianWar.Ithaca,NY:CornellUniversityPress,1974