Alastair Blanshard

They don't really like long battles either. Really, Sparta is a reluctant power to go into war. It's really actually only the kind of figures like Corinth driving them to war that I think leads to the outbreak of conflict.

They don't really like long battles either. Really, Sparta is a reluctant power to go into war. It's really actually only the kind of figures like Corinth driving them to war that I think leads to the outbreak of conflict.

War breaks out in 431, and essentially the first phase of the war is a stalemate. Neither side can land a big blow on the other. Things go on for a decade or so, increasingly unsatisfactory. A decade? It's a long time, isn't it? Much longer than any war that had been fought up until this point. I mean, normally wars in the Greek world last one or two years.

War breaks out in 431, and essentially the first phase of the war is a stalemate. Neither side can land a big blow on the other. Things go on for a decade or so, increasingly unsatisfactory. A decade? It's a long time, isn't it? Much longer than any war that had been fought up until this point. I mean, normally wars in the Greek world last one or two years.

War breaks out in 431, and essentially the first phase of the war is a stalemate. Neither side can land a big blow on the other. Things go on for a decade or so, increasingly unsatisfactory. A decade? It's a long time, isn't it? Much longer than any war that had been fought up until this point. I mean, normally wars in the Greek world last one or two years.

Ideally, in fact, they're over the campaign season. So for something to go this long is really unprecedented. And the reason why there's no effective solution in the first period is because neither side can lay a kind of killer blow on the other. So the Athenians initially in the first phase retreat behind their walls. Each year, Sparta marches out hoping to meet them in battle.

Ideally, in fact, they're over the campaign season. So for something to go this long is really unprecedented. And the reason why there's no effective solution in the first period is because neither side can lay a kind of killer blow on the other. So the Athenians initially in the first phase retreat behind their walls. Each year, Sparta marches out hoping to meet them in battle.

Ideally, in fact, they're over the campaign season. So for something to go this long is really unprecedented. And the reason why there's no effective solution in the first period is because neither side can lay a kind of killer blow on the other. So the Athenians initially in the first phase retreat behind their walls. Each year, Sparta marches out hoping to meet them in battle.

The Athenians refuse to do so. And that goes on for the first few years. Sparta ravages the Athenian countryside, but to no great effect. They march out. No one meets them in battle. They march back again. That happens, and eventually they decide, well, look, we can't keep doing this. We have to change things. But unfortunately, they both decide to change at exactly the same time.

The Athenians refuse to do so. And that goes on for the first few years. Sparta ravages the Athenian countryside, but to no great effect. They march out. No one meets them in battle. They march back again. That happens, and eventually they decide, well, look, we can't keep doing this. We have to change things. But unfortunately, they both decide to change at exactly the same time.

The Athenians refuse to do so. And that goes on for the first few years. Sparta ravages the Athenian countryside, but to no great effect. They march out. No one meets them in battle. They march back again. That happens, and eventually they decide, well, look, we can't keep doing this. We have to change things. But unfortunately, they both decide to change at exactly the same time.

So Athens gets much more adventurous, starts having a few military expeditions, quite successfully, actually, in the southern Peloponnese. But unfortunately, Sparta also decides to vary its game plan as well and starts to attack the Athenian supply lines in the north.

So Athens gets much more adventurous, starts having a few military expeditions, quite successfully, actually, in the southern Peloponnese. But unfortunately, Sparta also decides to vary its game plan as well and starts to attack the Athenian supply lines in the north.

So Athens gets much more adventurous, starts having a few military expeditions, quite successfully, actually, in the southern Peloponnese. But unfortunately, Sparta also decides to vary its game plan as well and starts to attack the Athenian supply lines in the north.

is very successful, led by a Spartan commander named Brasidas, who seizes the town of Amphipolis, which is really important in northern Greece for controlling the grain supply. And as a result, they're sort of back in the stalemate. So this kind of, you know, they've tried kind of, you know, one thing, they've tried another thing, nothing seems to be working.

is very successful, led by a Spartan commander named Brasidas, who seizes the town of Amphipolis, which is really important in northern Greece for controlling the grain supply. And as a result, they're sort of back in the stalemate. So this kind of, you know, they've tried kind of, you know, one thing, they've tried another thing, nothing seems to be working.

is very successful, led by a Spartan commander named Brasidas, who seizes the town of Amphipolis, which is really important in northern Greece for controlling the grain supply. And as a result, they're sort of back in the stalemate. So this kind of, you know, they've tried kind of, you know, one thing, they've tried another thing, nothing seems to be working.

And so eventually they enter what's called the Peace of Nicias. And that's really the end of the first phase of the Peloponnesian War. If you had to give it on points, you might give it on points to Athens in the first phase, but it's a fairly inconsequential stalemate.

And so eventually they enter what's called the Peace of Nicias. And that's really the end of the first phase of the Peloponnesian War. If you had to give it on points, you might give it on points to Athens in the first phase, but it's a fairly inconsequential stalemate.

And so eventually they enter what's called the Peace of Nicias. And that's really the end of the first phase of the Peloponnesian War. If you had to give it on points, you might give it on points to Athens in the first phase, but it's a fairly inconsequential stalemate.