The seeds of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 bc), fought between the city-states of Sparta and Athens and their respective allies, were sown some 50 years earlier through the successes of the Greek states in defeating the second Persian invasion of Greece (480–479 bc). Eleven years previously, at the culmination of the first Persian invasion of Greece (490 bc), Athens stood alone at the battle of Marathon; this unexpected Athenian victory encouraged the city-state to see itself as Sparta’s equal. Sparta had always been considered to be the ‘natural’ leader of Greece because of its unique political system which meant Spartan citizens trained in warfare full time. Other Greek city-states had citizen soldiers with minimal training who were called out as needed.

Athenian Hoplite vs Spartan Hoplite. Peloponnesian War 431-404 BC PDF

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