Spartans Vs. Athenians: The Peloponnesian War

Spartans vs. Athenians Can you imagine four-thousand spartans charging down a hill while three-thousand Athenians ready their bows and release them all simultaneously while the string whips in the hard rain? The Peloponnesian War was one of the most fierce wars in Greece because many people fell in battle. From the South were the Spartans. Their forces had never been stronger with a reformed, military-based government. From the North was the Athenians who had just been through a war that had been won, and were still armed and battle ready, holding fortresses across Greece. The interactions that these two city states made against, with, and without them were so intense that even the fierce kings, Leonidas of Sparta and King Pericles Cleon Nicias of Athens, fell to each other's armies. Around 400 B.C., King Leonidas of Sparta finally had enough of the Athenians acting like gods. He first tried to take a hold of his own state. He revised the government to
He first tried to take a hold of his own state. He revised the government to train fierce soldiers instead of the subtle painters in Athens. When he did, he encouraged more trade with the state of Hella to the north. When Hella owed too much money, Leonidas went on his first conquest and destroyed Hellas economy, government, and population. Hella had enormous mines that could be used to mine more materials for the ever growing Spartan armies. They equipped all of their men with equipment from Hellas armories, new armor from the mines, and old Spartan armor. When Athens got word of this development of Spartan government, they sent a large force to shut them down. Dawn was the traditional time to attack and it was considered a demerit to attack any other time. King Leonidas wrote “ At dawn we fight, not for bragging or satisfaction, but for glory in the thought of protection, the protection of our