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The Peloponnesian War was one of the greatest conflicts in the Classical World. It was a conflict that involved the Athenian Empire and its allies in a brutal struggle with Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. The war lasted almost three decades (431-404 BCE) and was to change the Greek world. Perhaps one of the most important events in this was Athens Sicilian Expedition (413-415 BCE).

==The Sicilian Expedition==

Athens was a radical democracy and every male citizen could vote on matters such as the declaration of peace and war. Its political system energized the Athenians and made them very formidable. However, Thucydides, a former Athenian general believed that Athenian democracy was flawed and lead to aggressive and dangerous policies. <ref>Thucydides, 4, 7</ref> Thucydides argued that Athenian democracy encouraged the Sicilian Expedition. When Sparta and Athens agreed to the Peace of Nicias in 421, the Athenians were at peace for first time in years. Instead of using the peace to re-build their strength the Athenian popular assembly voted to send an expedition to Sicily, to conquer the island.

====Athenian Losses====

According to Thucydides ‘this was the greatest Greek achievement of any in this war, or, in my opinion, in Greek history; at once most glorious to the victors, and most calamitous to the conquered.’ <ref>Thucydides,7-85</ref> The entire Athenian army and navy was destroyed. The expedition that had sought to conquer the island of Sicily was a complete disaster. It is impossible to know the extent of the Athenian losses. It is thought that the Athenians lost some one hundred ships. These were expensive to build and would take the Athenians years to replace them.<ref> Bagnall, Nigel. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312342152/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0312342152&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=29e68e8d1bdf4f43dd5ef23496e2ea1c The Peloponnesian War: Athens, Sparta, And The Struggle For Greece]</i> (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, 2006), p. 213</ref> As significant as the loss of the ships were the deaths or capture of the many trained oarsmen. The Athenians navy was reliant on these men to power their triremes and again it took years to replace these men. The entire army was annihilated by the Syracuse and their allies. One again exact figures are impossible to determine but the Athenians certainly lost several thousand soldiers and cavalrymen.<ref>Bagnall, p 289</ref> Per one historian ‘The total number of prisoners taken would be difficult to state exactly, but it could not have been less than 7,000.’ <ref> Thucydides, [7-85] </ref>

====The Oligarchy in Athens====

The Athenian defeat in Sicily not only weakened the city militarily but also politically. Many of the traditional elite and aristocracy of Athens were never thrilled democracy. They wanted a return to the previous oligarchy which would return control of the city to their hands.<ref> Kallet, p. 234</ref> They attributed the defeat to democracy and they believed that the city could only be saved if Athens changed its form of government. These elites were angered by the fiscal strain caused by Sicilian expedition. In order to defend the City, the Athenian government began to tax the wealthy to such an extent that some people were left penniless. This caused great resentment among the old aristocracy.<ref>Kallet, p. 235</ref> However, the democracy was still supported by the mass of citizens, especially the hoplites and the oarsmen.

====Conclusion====

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