The British historian, George W. Cox writes that the "whole duration of the Athenian empire extends over little more than two generations." This confederation of Greek city states with Athens at its head was an attempt to present a unified front to the Persian Empire. But ultimately, the strife between democratic and oligarchic factions within each polis, combined with the tangle of alliances between the various city states, led to the ruinous and protracted Peloponnesian War. In this short work, Cox describes the battles on land and sea, and such personalities as the Athenian general, Nikias, his Spartan counterpart, Agis, and, above all, unprincipled, charismatic Alcibiades. (Summary by Pamela Nagami, M.D.)
Chapters
1 Ch. 1: The Confederacy of Delos and the Foundation of the Athenian Empire, Pt. 1 14 min 2 Ch. 1: The Confederacy of Delos and the Foundation of the Athenian Empire, Pt. 2 14 min 3 Ch. 1: The Confederacy of Delos and the Foundation of the Athenian Empire, Pt. 3 11 min 4 Ch. 1: The Confederacy of Delos and the Foundation of the Athenian Empire, Pt. 4 12 min 5 Ch. 1: The Confederacy of Delos and the Foundation of the Athenian Empire, Pt. 5 11 min 6 Ch. 1: The Confederacy of Delos and the Foundation of the Athenian Empire, Pt. 6 13 min 7 Ch. 2: The Beginnings of the Struggle between Athens and Sparta, Pt. 1 13 min 8 Ch. 2: The Beginnings of the Struggle between Athens and Sparta, Pt. 2 17 min 9 Ch. 3: The Peloponnesian War from the Surprise of Plataia to the Capture of Sphakteria, Pt. 1 12 min 10 Ch. 3: The Peloponnesian War from the Surprise of Plataia to the Capture of Sphakteria, Pt. 2 12 min 11 Ch. 3: The Peloponnesian War from the Surprise of Plataia to the Capture of Sphakteria, Pt. 3 13 min 12 Ch. 3: The Peloponnesian War from the Surprise of Plataia to the Capture of Sphakteria, Pt. 4 11 min 13 Ch. 3: The Peloponnesian War from the Surprise of Plataia to the Capture of Sphakteria, Pt. 5 13 min 14 Ch. 3: The Peloponnesian War from the Surprise of Plataia to the Capture of Sphakteria, Pt. 6 11 min 15 Ch. 4: The Peloponnesian War, from the Surrender of the Spartans in Sphakteria to the Massacre of Melos, Pt. 1 13 min 16 Ch. 4: The Peloponnesian War, from the Surrender of the Spartans in Sphakteria to the Massacre of Melos, Pt. 2 15 min 17 Ch. 4: The Peloponnesian War, from the Surrender of the Spartans in Sphakteria to the Massacre of Melos, Pt. 3 11 min 18 Ch. 4: The Peloponnesian War, from the Surrender of the Spartans in Sphakteria to the Massacre of Melos, Pt. 4 15 min 19 Ch. 4: The Peloponnesian War, from the Surrender of the Spartans in Sphakteria to the Massacre of Melos, Pt. 5 8 min 20 Ch. 5: The Peloponnesian War. The Sicilian Expedition, Pt. 1 13 min 21 Ch. 5: The Peloponnesian War. The Sicilian Expedition, Pt. 2 14 min 22 Ch. 5: The Peloponnesian War. The Sicilian Expedition, Pt. 3 12 min 23 Ch. 5: The Peloponnesian War. The Sicilian Expedition, Pt. 4 13 min 24 Ch. 5: The Peloponnesian War. The Sicilian Expedition, Pt. 5 19 min 25 Ch. 5: The Peloponnesian War. The Sicilian Expedition, Pt. 6 15 min 26 Ch. 6: The Peloponnesian (or Dekeleian) War, from the Failure of the Sicilian Expedition to the Suppression of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred at Athens, Pt. 1 9 min 27 Ch. 6: The Peloponnesian (or Dekeleian) War, from the Failure of the Sicilian Expedition to the Suppression of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred at Athens, Pt. 2 14 min 28 Ch. 6: The Peloponnesian (or Dekeleian) War, from the Failure of the Sicilian Expedition to the Suppression of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred at Athens, Pt. 3 12 min 29 Ch. 6: The Peloponnesian (or Dekeleian) War, from the Failure of the Sicilian Expedition to the Suppression of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred at Athens, Pt. 4 16 min 30 Ch. 6: The Peloponnesian (or Dekeleian) War, from the Failure of the Sicilian Expedition to the Suppression of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred at Athens, Pt. 5 16 min 31 Ch. 6: The Peloponnesian (or Dekeleian) War, from the Failure of the Sicilian Expedition to the Suppression of the Oligarchy of the Four Hundred at Athens, Pt. 6 13 min 32 Ch. 7: The Peloponnesian (Dekeleian or Ionian) War from the Battle of Kynossêma to the Surrender of Athens, Pt. 1 13 min 33 Ch. 7: The Peloponnesian (Dekeleian or Ionian) War from the Battle of Kynossêma to the Surrender of Athens, Pt. 2 16 min 34 Ch. 7: The Peloponnesian (Dekeleian or Ionian) War from the Battle of Kynossêma to the Surrender of Athens, Pt. 3 10 min 35 Ch. 7: The Peloponnesian (Dekeleian or Ionian) War from the Battle of Kynossêma to the Surrender of Athens, Pt. 4 13 min 36 Ch. 7: The Peloponnesian (Dekeleian or Ionian) War from the Battle of Kynossêma to the Surrender of Athens, Pt. 5 12 min
