Who won the Peloponnesian War?

Sparta and its allies won the Peloponnesian War by defeating Athens and its allies.

What was the main cause of the Peloponnesian War?

The Peloponnesian War started after years of rivalry between Athens and Sparta. Sparta was suspicious of the growing power of Athens and the size of its naval fleet. Sparta was also concerned that Corinth would join forces with Athens and threaten Spartan territory.

Why did Sparta win the Peloponnesian War?

Sparta won the Peloponnesian War because Athens wasted men and resources on a disastrous expedition in Sicily. Using money from Persia, Sparta built a large navy and defeated the Athenians at Aegospotami in 405 BCE.

Peloponnesian War Timeline

Definition

The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies came in two stages: from c. 460 to 446 and from 431 to 404 BCE. With battles at home and abroad, the long and complex conflict was damaging to both sides. Sparta, with financial help from Persia, finally won the conflict by destroying the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami in 405 BCE.

More about: Peloponnesian War

Timeline

c. 550 BCE - c. 366 BCE
Peloponnesian League alliance between Sparta, Corinth, Elis and Tegea which establishes Spartan hegemony over the Peloponnese.
478 BCE - 454 BCE
The treasury of the Delian League is kept on Delos until its removal to Athens.
c. 470 BCE - c. 469 BCE
Attempted secession of Naxos from the Delian League. It is defeated and enslaved.
460 BCE - 445 BCE
First Peloponnesian War.
458 BCE
A treaty of cooperation is signed between the Sicilian city-state of Segesta and Athens.
457 BCE
Sparta wins the battle of Tanagra during the 1st Peloponnesian War with Athens.
454 BCE
The Athenians move the treasury of the Delian League from Delos to Athens.
451 BCE
Thirty years peace between Argos and Sparta.
446 BCE - 445 BCE
Thirty years peace between Athens and Peloponnesians.
432 BCE
Sparta declares that Athens has broken the Thirty Year Peace and prepares for war.
431 BCE - 404 BCE
The 2nd Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (the Delian League and the Peloponnesian League) which involved all of Greece.
431 BCE - 404 BCE
The Cycladic city states side with Athens in the Peloponnesian war against Sparta and her allies.
431 BCE - 404 BCE
Thebes sides with Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian War.
431 BCE
Athens invades Megara.
429 BCE
Athens successfully campaigns in the Corinthian Gulf regions during the Peloponnesian War.
429 BCE
Peloponnesian forces led by Sparta begin the siege of Plataea.
429 BCE
Following attacks by Sparta, fortifications at the port of Piraeus are extended to reduce the width of the harbour entrances.
429 BCE
The death of Pericles from the plague.
427 BCE
Plataea finally falls to the Spartans after a two year siege.
425 BCE
Athenian and Corinthian hoplites fight a street battle in the suburbs of Solygeia.
425 BCE
Pylos campaign, under Cleon and Demosthenes' command Athens defeats Sparta at Pylos.
424 BCE
The Athenian expeditions against Megara and Boeotia are a failure with a particularly heavy defeat near Delion.
424 BCE - 420 BCE
The Nike of Paionios is erected at Olympia to commemorate the Messenian and Naupaktian victory over Sparta at the battle of Sphakteria.
424 BCE
A force of Athenian peltasts defeat Spartan hoplites on Sphaktria in the Peloponnese.
423 BCE
A one year truce in the Peloponnesian War.
422 BCE
Spartan general Brasidas employs Myrkinian and Chalkidian peltasts to defeat a force of Athenian hoplites at Amphipolis.
421 BCE
Peace of Nicias, a truce between the Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues.
421 BCE
Spartan soldiers return from campaigning Thrace, some as Neodamodeis.
418 BCE
Sparta, led by Agis II, defeats Argos and her allies at the battle of Mantinaea.
417 BCE - 415 BCE
Melos, after supporting Sparta in the Peloponnesian War, is attacked by Athens.
415 BCE - 413 BCE
Athenian expedition to attack Syracuse.
c. 415 BCE
Alcibiades persuades the Athenian assembly to send a military expedition to Sicily.
413 BCE
On the advice of Alcibiades the Spartans take over the Athenian-held fort of Dekeleia.
413 BCE
The Athenian expedition in Sicily ends in disastrous defeat and the Athenian generals Nicias and Demosthenes are executed.
c. 412 BCE
Rhodes revolts against Athens and supports Sparta in the Peloponnesian War.
412 BCE
Sparta allies with Persia.
410 BCE
Alcibiades leads the Athenian fleet to victory over Sparta at Cyzicus.
c. 408 BCE
Lysander is first made an admiral of the Spartan fleet.
c. 407 BCE
Alcibiades returns to Athens in triumph and is made strategos autokrater.
c. 407 BCE
The Athenian fleet is defeated by Lysander of Sparta at Notium.
404 BCE
Spartan general Lysander attacks the Athenian port of Piraeus destroying parts of the Long Wall fortifications.
404 BCE
End of the Peloponnesian war, Athens defeated By Sparta at Aigospotamoi, Rule of the Thirty Tyrants in Athens.