Plague of War: Athens, Sparta, and the Struggle for Ancient Greece

The rivalry between Athens and Sparta erupted into open warfare in 431 BC, embroiling the Greek world for over a generation. The war ended with the capture of the Athenian navy in 405 and the subsequent starvation of Athens, but fighting in Greece would continue for several decades. The Corinthian War (395-387) challenged Sparta's authority, and the war did not truly end until 371 when Thebes defeated Sparta at Leuctra. This long and bloody war affected every area of life in Athens, exacerbated divisions between rich and poor in Sparta, and sparked civil strife throughout the Greek world. Despite the biting sorrows the fighting occasioned, it remains a gripping saga of plots and counter-plots, murders and lies, thrilling sea chases and desperate overland marches, missed opportunities and last-minute reprieves, and lessons for a less bellicose future.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 11 July 2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

In 431 BC, the long-simmering rivalry between the city-states of Athens and Sparta erupted into open warfare, marking the beginning of a protracted and devastating conflict that would span over a generation. This war, which engulfed the entire Greek world, resulted in years of unparalleled brutality, with entire cities being exterminated, their men killed, their women and children enslaved. While it is commonly believed that the war ended with the capture of the Athenian navy in 405 BC and the subsequent starvation of Athens, fighting would continue in Greece for several decades.

One significant event during this period was the Corinthian War (395-387), in which Persian gold played a crucial role in uniting Athens with Sparta's former allies. However, the war did not truly conclude until 371 BC, when Thebes, with their crack infantry, decisively defeated Sparta at Leuctra, shattering the myth of Spartan military supremacy.

Jennifer Roberts' comprehensive narrative of this famous conflict is the first general history to provide a comprehensive account of the war, from its origins to Sparta's defeat at Leuctra. In her masterful work, Roberts delves into the various aspects of this long and bloody war, its impact on Athens and Sparta, and its broader consequences for the Greek world.

The war had a profound effect on every aspect of Athenian life, exacerbating divisions between the rich and the poor and sparking civil strife throughout the Greek world. Despite the sorrows and hardships caused by the fighting, the war remains a gripping saga filled with plots, counter-plots, murders, lies, thrilling sea chases, and desperate overland marches. Thucydides, the war's first historian, had hoped that the war would serve as a lesson for a less bellicose future.

Roberts also considers the impact of the war on Greece's cultural life, including the great masterworks of tragedy and comedy performed at this time and, most infamously, the trial and execution of Socrates. The war was a period of immense change and transformation, and its legacy continues to be felt today.

In conclusion, the rivalry between Athens and Sparta in 431 BC marked the beginning of a long and bloody conflict that would span over a generation. This war, which engulfed the entire Greek world, resulted in unprecedented brutality and had far-reaching consequences. Jennifer Roberts' masterful narrative provides a comprehensive account of this famous conflict, from its origins to Sparta's defeat at Leuctra. The war remains a gripping saga filled with plots, counter-plots, and unforgettable characters, and its legacy continues to be felt today.

Weight: 658g
Dimension: 227 x 154 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190940881