Before the Peloponnesian War, Athens was already powerful within itself. However, their gain of more power and more territory alarmed the Spartans. This is what is the basis of this war. Athens undeniable thirst for more power. This thirst for power is what ultimately led to their downfall. All Sparta wanted was to ease restrictions on city-states that were allied with Sparta. But Athens refused, sitting not well with the hot headed Spartans. “…Spartans demanded that Athens was restrictions on city-states allied with Sparta” (Hunt 100). Sparta had a right to be nervous, as their allies could easily fall under the Athenians. In fact, Sparta asked for ease on the city-states due to their …show more content…
His continuation of what Pericles started; For example, the denial of a peace negotiation ultimately got the assembly to reject the notion for peace and led to them striking at Athens. Not only did he do that, but he also convinced the assembly to launch a campaign. The biggest one Greek has ever seen. Alcibiades was overthrown, but the damage had been done. There was no going back, the Athens were in a full on war with little to no direction or good leader. Alcibiades was even sought after when the people were in need of generalship after fighting seven years. But the mistakes over time were to much, there was no going back. “They even recalled Alcibiades seeking better generalship, but the end came when Persia gave the Spartans money to build a navy” (Hunt 104). In conclusion, it can be said that Athens was the one to blame for the war, more so the leaders and their decisions. For they are the ones that led away from peace, their hunger for popularity and their hunger for power consumed them and led to poor decisions that pushed them to start an unnecessary war with Sparta that led to the a downfall for Athens and the end of the Golden