Thucydides begins with a broad overview of the background to Athenian empire (1)

then follows the first twenty years of the war between Athens and the Peloponnesians.

Focus on the following events and themes:

Thucydides' view of ancient Hellas (Readings 1 = the 'archaeology'):

    why does he go into this background and what does it prove?

Athens rebuilds her walls and takes over the Delian League (early 470s)

    The 'League' of allies is converted to an Empire of subjects

    460s: Revolt of Naxos and Thasos

    (454) Removal of the Treasury to Athens

    (449) Peace with Persia

    Periclean building program begins:

               Parthenon  448/7-438; with sculpures completed 432

     446  War with Sparta and Revolt of Euboea

    445 'Thirty Years Treaty' with Sparta

    433/2  Alliance with Corcyra (provoking Corinth) and Revolt of Potidaea.

Peloponnesian War: 431-404

    431 Periclean policy of non-engagement

    430-29 (second year of the war) Plague strikes Athens;

              Pericles deposed and reinstated                                                               

 Death of Pericles (late 429);

    428-27  Revolt of Mitylene

        Athenian decree for andrapodismos  voted and repealed.

    428                   Euripides Hippolytus

     425-4  Athenians seize Pylos (near Sparta), capture elite Spartan troops;

        Brasidas makes surprise attack on Amphipolis (threatening control of the northern grain route)             Thucydides (the historian) exiled.

    421       Peace of Nicias

    416       Conquest of Melos

    415-413        Sicilian Expedition. 

    413   Sparta resumes siege of Athens, with fort at Decelea.

    411/10   Overthrow of democracy at Athens (Thucydides' history breaks off)