The Decline of Sparta

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After winning the Peloponnesian war, Sparta had become the most powerful polis in the Greek world. It will be shown that Sparta pursued its goal of dominance through the autonomy clause in the treaty of Antalcidas. Sparta abused the treaty and even broke it, creating the opposition that would eventually defeat them.

Sparta, having won the Peloponnesian war (Xenophon, Hellenika 2.23), emerged as the pre-eminent Greek power at the beginning of the fourth century (Cargill 1981: 189). The member states of the Delian league were not freed as expected (Rhodes 2010: 160), but rather taken over and had oligarchic constitutions installed within them (Rhodes 2010: 238). Sparta decided to keep the power it had gained through becoming an imperialistic force just as Athens had been (cartledge 1987: 349).

To been seen as acting in Greece’s best interest, Sparta looked to the goal of ‘freeing the Asiatic Greeks’ from Persian control (Lewis 1977: 141). This was perhaps Sparta emulating the direction of Athens during the Peloponnesian war (Thuc 1.89). At first Tissaphernes promised to make the Asiatic Greeks autonomous, but after coming to the conclusion that his forces were sufficient; decided to make war on Sparta instead (Plutarch, Agesilaus 9). After a peace agreement failed to be agreed on (Rhodes 2010: 227), Persia sent gold to strengthen the enemies of Sparta (Rhodes 2010: 227) and with the threat of war in Greece, Agesilaus was forced to return home (Plutarch, Agesilaus 15). The Greeks were once again fighting amongst themselves (Bucker 2003: 77) and furthermore, pressure continued to mount on Sparta as their enemies continued to regained their strength (Plutarch, Agesilaus 23).

In 387/6, Sparta secured a treaty in the fo...

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...), It is estimated that only 900 adult Spartiates remained after the battle (Rhodes 2010: 252). After the loss, Sparta started to lose support and many allies transferred their allegiance to Thebes (Rhodes 2010: 252). To further weaken Sparta, Thebes liberated Messenia (Xenophon, Hellenika 6.5.25), which deprived Sparta of the Helots it had enslaved long ago (Thuc 1.101). Within the same year as the battle of Leuctra, Megalopolis was built (Pausanias, 8.27.1-3, 8) and Messene was also founded (Cartledge 1987: 347) which would geographically hedge in and alienate Sparta in from the outside world (Buckle 2003: 319).

Sparta became immensely powerful after defeating Athens at the conclusion of the Peloponnesian war. Sparta became imperialistic in nature and choose to enforce it’s dominance through the peace of Antalcidas.

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