Conflicts & Resolutions · War

Peloponnesian War

431–404 BCE · 5th century BCE · Also known as Peloponnesian Wars

The Peloponnesian War was fought from 431 to 404 BCE between Athens and its empire and the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. It ended in Athens' defeat. The war and the fractious alliances that followed weakened the Greek city-states, creating the conditions for the rise of the Macedonian Empire.

Peloponnesian War — Image: Translator was Kenmayer · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 6 profiles

Macedonian EmpireFoundation ChiosDecline SpartaMilitary, Summary AthensMilitary Odrysian KingdomSummary RhodesFoundation

Battles and settlements

Mentioned in 11 state histories

Clazomenae Corinth Megara Pellene Ambracia Plataea Peloponnesian League Odrysian Kingdom Delian League Acarnanian League Taulantii

Great speeches

Pericles' Funeral OrationWinter 431–430 BCE

See also

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Peloponnesian War. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/peloponnesian-war
MLA: “Peloponnesian War.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/peloponnesian-war. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Peloponnesian War.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/peloponnesian-war.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Peloponnesian War’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/peloponnesian-war (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻