Key events of the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE)
(references in parentheses are to Thucydides, by book and chapter)
PRELIMINARIES TO WAR
445 Thirty-year Peace between Athens and Peloponnesian League begins (1.115, 2.2)
435 Corinth at war with Corcyra
433 (summer) Athens concludes an alliance with Corcyra (1.45); Athenian and Corinthian ships come into conflict near Sybota (opposite Corcyra) (1.47-55)
432 Athens takes steps to secure Poteidaia, while Corinthians aid rebellion (1.56-65); assemblies and demands preliminary to war (1.66-88, 1.118-127, 1.139-146)
10-YEARS WAR or ARCHIDAMIAN WAR
431 (late spring): Theban attack on Plataea, (2.2-6); Peace is thus truly broken
431 (summer): first invasion of Attika, first Athenian fleet sailing around Peloponnesus (2.7-30)
431/430 winter: Pericles’ funeral oration at public funeral of Athenian war dead (2.34-46)
430: plague at Athens (reduced invasion), death of Pericles (2.47-65)
430/29 winter: Poteidaia captured by Athenians
429: Peloponnesian siege of Plataea begins (2.71-78), no invasion
428: annual invasion; revolt of Lesbos, led by Mytilene, which is besieged by Athens (3.2-18)
427: annual invasion of Attika, very severe; surrender of Mytilene, debate in Athens (3.27-28, 3.36-50); fall of Plataea and "trial" (3.52-68); civil strife in Corcyra (3.70-85)
426: no invasion because of earthquakes (3.89)
425: invasion of Attika in late spring; Demosthenes builds fort at Pylos (western Peloponnesus), besieges some Spartan troops; Spartans sue for peace, peace rejected on advice of Cleon, who leads new force that captures about 300 Spartans at Pylos (4.3-23, 26-41)
423: truce arranged so that negotiations for a peace-treaty can proceed
422: Cleon leads an army to north, to counteract successful Spartan commander Brasidas; both die in battle at Amphipolis in Thrace (5.10);negotiations continue for Peace, led by Nikias
421 (spring): Peace of Nikias ratified
UNEASY PEACE
421-416: minor problems and tensions continue; Alcibiades working for alliance with Argos and resumption of hostilities, Nikias struggling for moderation and peace
418: battle of Mantinea, victory of Sparta, temporary end of Argive alliance with Athens
416: Athenians attack Melos (5.84-116)
415: Athenians decide to send major force to Sicily to aid Egesta against Syracuse; mutilation of the Herms; Alcibiades recalled from leadership of expedition, flees to Sparta and helps the Spartans; Nikias wins victory at Syracuse, but cannot follow it up, withdraws to a nearby city for winter (Bk. 6)
414: in spring, Nikias and Athenians attempt to surround Syracuse, almost succeed, but Gylippus from Sparta brings aid just in time; Nikias asks to be relieved, but Athenians send him co-generals and more forces
FULL RESUMPTION OF WAR by Sparta (413-404)
413: Athenians in Syracuse hard pressed, almost defeated by Syracusans when Demosthenes and Eurymedon arrive; thereafter, delays lead to disaster of whole Athenian force (Bk. 7); meanwhile, Peloponnesians establish a fort at Deceleia on edge of Attika to provide constant threat and attract runaway slaves
412: Spartan fleet operates in Aegean, as Athenian allies revolt; Alcibiades leaves Sparta, active in eastern Aegean; Spartan alliance with Persia (8.1-60)
411: oligarchic revolution at Athens lasts a few months, followed by a mildly oligarchic regime; democracy maintained by the Athenian fleet in Samos; Alcibiades elected general by the Athenians in Samos and re-elected several times until 407; Athenian naval victory at Cynossema (8.61-109: end of Thucydides as source; from here, Xenophon, Lysias, Aristotle provide some information)
410: Athenian naval victory at Cyzicus; democracy restored in Athens
407: Athenian naval defeat at Notion; Alcibiades flees
406: Athenian naval victory at Arginousai, but scandal follows over failure to recover corpses and survivors from the sea, leading to trial and execution of the generals
405: Spartan naval victory at Aegospotami
404: surrender of Athens; rule of the 30 Tyrants
403: restoration of Athenian democracy