Alastair Blanshard

That's right. Yes, the Peloponnesian War, the war that dominates the final third of the 5th century BC, the clash of the two greatest mainland powers in Greece, the mighty Sparta, Athens with a great naval empire, and an extraordinary secret for battles that goes on for 30 years and eventually leads to the destruction, the pulling down the walls of Athens.

That's right. Yes, the Peloponnesian War, the war that dominates the final third of the 5th century BC, the clash of the two greatest mainland powers in Greece, the mighty Sparta, Athens with a great naval empire, and an extraordinary secret for battles that goes on for 30 years and eventually leads to the destruction, the pulling down the walls of Athens.

That's right. Yes, the Peloponnesian War, the war that dominates the final third of the 5th century BC, the clash of the two greatest mainland powers in Greece, the mighty Sparta, Athens with a great naval empire, and an extraordinary secret for battles that goes on for 30 years and eventually leads to the destruction, the pulling down the walls of Athens.

Well, the 5th century is really the Athenian century. So we see Athens, which is in earlier periods much more of a backwater, suddenly rise to power after the end of the Persian Wars. Athens really dominates the geopolitical space. It establishes this extraordinary naval empire, and it really is almost unrivaled within mainland Greece.

Well, the 5th century is really the Athenian century. So we see Athens, which is in earlier periods much more of a backwater, suddenly rise to power after the end of the Persian Wars. Athens really dominates the geopolitical space. It establishes this extraordinary naval empire, and it really is almost unrivaled within mainland Greece.

Well, the 5th century is really the Athenian century. So we see Athens, which is in earlier periods much more of a backwater, suddenly rise to power after the end of the Persian Wars. Athens really dominates the geopolitical space. It establishes this extraordinary naval empire, and it really is almost unrivaled within mainland Greece.

And this is quite unusual, because up until this point, Greece had been a patchwork of independent city-states. But over the course of the fourth century, we see that patchwork of independent city-states developing into a kind of bipolar system, dominated by two great powers, Athens and Sparta.

And this is quite unusual, because up until this point, Greece had been a patchwork of independent city-states. But over the course of the fourth century, we see that patchwork of independent city-states developing into a kind of bipolar system, dominated by two great powers, Athens and Sparta.

And this is quite unusual, because up until this point, Greece had been a patchwork of independent city-states. But over the course of the fourth century, we see that patchwork of independent city-states developing into a kind of bipolar system, dominated by two great powers, Athens and Sparta.

Well, essentially, it's a kind of protection racket, basically. Greece had been invaded by Persia, and so Athens offers itself up as the great defender against the Persians. They'd, of course, been terribly important in mobilising the opposition to Persia. They'd Persia at the Battle of Marathon.

Well, essentially, it's a kind of protection racket, basically. Greece had been invaded by Persia, and so Athens offers itself up as the great defender against the Persians. They'd, of course, been terribly important in mobilising the opposition to Persia. They'd Persia at the Battle of Marathon.

Well, essentially, it's a kind of protection racket, basically. Greece had been invaded by Persia, and so Athens offers itself up as the great defender against the Persians. They'd, of course, been terribly important in mobilising the opposition to Persia. They'd Persia at the Battle of Marathon.

The Battle of Salamis had been a great turning point where the might of the Persian Empire had been humbled by a combined fleet of Greeks led primarily by Athens. They'd really hounded the Persians out of Greek area, mainland Greece, and also freed the Ionian coast.

The Battle of Salamis had been a great turning point where the might of the Persian Empire had been humbled by a combined fleet of Greeks led primarily by Athens. They'd really hounded the Persians out of Greek area, mainland Greece, and also freed the Ionian coast.

The Battle of Salamis had been a great turning point where the might of the Persian Empire had been humbled by a combined fleet of Greeks led primarily by Athens. They'd really hounded the Persians out of Greek area, mainland Greece, and also freed the Ionian coast.

And so as part of that, they've said, well, look, we're going to establish a league, the so-called Delian League, based initially on the island of Delos, which is going to protect

And so as part of that, they've said, well, look, we're going to establish a league, the so-called Delian League, based initially on the island of Delos, which is going to protect

And so as part of that, they've said, well, look, we're going to establish a league, the so-called Delian League, based initially on the island of Delos, which is going to protect

That's in the center of the Aegean. Well, the center of Bicyclades. And this league was going to protect all of the Greeks from the Persians. Now, in order to run the league, you'd have to make contributions. And of course, Athens controls the league. And it's through the league, through this kind of protection basically,

That's in the center of the Aegean. Well, the center of Bicyclades. And this league was going to protect all of the Greeks from the Persians. Now, in order to run the league, you'd have to make contributions. And of course, Athens controls the league. And it's through the league, through this kind of protection basically,