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Athenian decree for andrapodismos voted and repealed.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)