Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAPTER XLVII From the Thirty Years' Truce, fourteen years before the Peloponnesian War, down to the Blockade of Potidæa, in the year before the Peloponnesian War
- CHAPTER XLVIII From the Blockade of Potidæa down to the end of the First Year of the Peloponnesian War
- CHAPTER XLIX From the beginning of the Second Year down to the end of the Third Year of the Peloponnesian War
- CHAPTER L From the Commencement of the Fourth Year of the Peloponnesian War down to the Revolutionary Commotions at Korkyra
- CHAPTER LI From the Troubles in Korkyra, in the Fifth Year of the Peloponnesian War, down to the end of the Sixth Year
- CHAPTER LII Seventh Year of the War.—Capture of Sphakteria
- CHAPTER LIII Eighth Year of the War
- CHAPTER LIV Truce for one year.—Renewal of War and Battle of Amphipolis.—Peace of Nikias
CHAPTER LIII - Eighth Year of the War
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 October 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- CHAPTER XLVII From the Thirty Years' Truce, fourteen years before the Peloponnesian War, down to the Blockade of Potidæa, in the year before the Peloponnesian War
- CHAPTER XLVIII From the Blockade of Potidæa down to the end of the First Year of the Peloponnesian War
- CHAPTER XLIX From the beginning of the Second Year down to the end of the Third Year of the Peloponnesian War
- CHAPTER L From the Commencement of the Fourth Year of the Peloponnesian War down to the Revolutionary Commotions at Korkyra
- CHAPTER LI From the Troubles in Korkyra, in the Fifth Year of the Peloponnesian War, down to the end of the Sixth Year
- CHAPTER LII Seventh Year of the War.—Capture of Sphakteria
- CHAPTER LIII Eighth Year of the War
- CHAPTER LIV Truce for one year.—Renewal of War and Battle of Amphipolis.—Peace of Nikias
Summary
Important operations of the eighth year of the war
The eighth year of the war, on which we now touch, presents events of a more important and decisive character than any of the preceding. In reviewing the preceding years we observe that though there is much fighting, with hardship and privation inflicted on both sides, yet the operations are mostly of a desultory character, not calculated to determine the event of the war. But the capture of Sphakteria and its prisoners, coupled with the surrender of the whole Lacedæmonian fleet, was an event full of consequences and imposing in the eyes of all Greece. It stimulated the Athenians to a series of operations, larger and more ambitious than anything which they had yet conceived—directed, not merely against Sparta in her own country, but also to the reconquest of that ascendency in Megara and Bœotia which they had lost on or before the Thirty years' truce. On the other hand, it intimidated so much both the Lacedæmonians, the revolted Chalkidic allies of Athens in Thrace, and Perdikkas king of Macedonia—that between them the expedition of Brasidas, which struck so serious a blow at the Athenian empire, was concerted. This year is thus the turning-point of the war.
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- A History of Greece , pp. 495 - 581Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010