RESULTS: All Persian invasions and attempts to subjugate Greece
cease.
=THIRD MESSENIAN WAR.=--464-456 B. C.
(1) =Helots of Messenian descent= vs. (2) Spartans.
CAUSE: Confusion following earthquake gives Helots courage to
revolt.
CHIEF ACTION: (2) Mt. Ithome besieged. Sparta sent home her Athenian
allies.
RESULTS: Messenians capitulate and are allowed to leave the
Peloponnesus never to return. Athens retaliates by settling them at
Naupactus.
=PELOPONNESIAN WAR.=--431-404 B. C.
(1) =Sparta and Allies= vs. (2) Athens and Allies.
a. First Period--431-421 B. C.
CAUSE: Envy of Sparta and her allies at Athens’ growing power and
influence. Discontent among some of the Athenian subject states.
LEADERS: (1) =Archidamus=, =Agis=, =Brasidas=; (2) Demosthenes,
Cleon, Nicias.
CHIEF ACTIONS: (1) =Invasion of Attica=, =Plague in Attica=, =Siege
of Platæa=, =Delium=, =Amphipolis.= (2) Mitylene, Sphacteria.
RESULTS: By the peace of Nicias (421 B. C.) both sides are to
restore conquests and prisoners but terms are imperfectly carried
out.
b. Second Period or Decelean War--413-404 B. C.
CAUSE: Sparta takes advantage of Athens’ weakness, resulting from
the failure of the expedition to Syracuse, to renew the war.
LEADERS: Alcibiades serves Athens, Sparta and Athens in turn. (1)
=Lysander=; (2) Conon.
CHIEF ACTIONS: (1) =Decelea occupied.= =Attica ravaged.= =Many
subject states of Athens revolt.= =Notium, Ægospotami, Surrender of
Athens=; (2) Abydos, Cyzicus, Arginusæ.
=Results=: The Spartans tear down the walls of Piræus and Athens.
Athens loses her foreign possessions and fleet but becomes an
independent ally of Sparta. Sparta is now supreme in Greece.
=GAULS’ INVASION OF ITALY.=--390 B. C.
(1) =Gauls= vs. (2) Romans.
CAUSE: Roman people refuse to surrender Roman ambassadors who had
aided the Etruscans against the Gauls.
LEADERS: (2) M. Manlius, Capitolinus, Camillus.