Detailed Revision notes on the Peloponnesian War and Punic Wars.
Big Wars: Module One- Peloponnesian War and Punic Wars________________________________________________
- What are Big Wars?
- Big wars involve all or almost all of the great power of the era and the powers themselves consider the stakes high (hegemony/dominance or survival)
- They mobilize lots of resources for large-scale or protracted fighting
Explaining War __________________________________________
- Definition of war must have these components (4): armed conflict/organized violence, waged deliberately, by two or more independent political units against each other, exceeding some casualty threshold (ex. 1,000 deaths)
- 3 types of war: inter-state, extra-state, intra-states
- MIDS: Militarized interstate disputes involve: small wars with < than 1,000 battle deaths or deliberate disputes between states where military force is threatened, displayed or used MIDS refer to 3 types of state actions: explicit over threats to use armed forces, mobilizing/displaying armed force, using armed force barely
- Power polarity: unipolar, bipolar and multipolar
- Balance of power: opposing alliances tend to develop equal power so that they balance
- Alliances: can be during war/peace time, can mutate (adding/dropping members)
- 2 explanations: Realist- collect resources against common threat, Constructivist-strengthen and protect common characteristic of member states
- Problems with alliances: collective actions problems, ambiguity of alliance clauses/promises, sub-game theory imperfection, moral hazard, costly obligations
- Deterrence: coercive persuasion based on threats not to attack you, make them think expected costs is higher than rewards
- Preemption is strike first and Prevention is prevent other side from getting weapons and objections
- Security dilemma: by one state increasing its security, other states feel threatened and sets off chain of defensive reactions
- Collective security: goal is punish aggressor but hard to define one
- Origins of war include man's evilness, the state (relationships between governments), the system of international relations
- Why don't states always avoid war? --> systematic misperception (overestimate/underestimate chances/costs of winning/fighting), inability to divided wanted issue/territory, commitment issues, information problems with incentives to lie
First Peloponnesian War ___ ________________________________________________
- Long-standing tensions between Sparta and Athens revive after Greeks repel second Persian invasion, 480-479 BC
- First Peloponnesian War (460 – 445 BC)
- Ends with “Thirty Years' Peace” (winter of 446-445)
- Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC)
- Breakdown of peace settlement
- Archidamian War (431 – 421 BC)
- Peace of Nicias (421 BC)
- Meant to last 50 years →Actually lasted 6
- Athens’ Fateful Expedition to Sicily (415 – 413 BC)
- Second War (413 BC until fall of Athens in 404)
- Trireme (boat): 121 ft long/18 ft wide, 170 oarsmen, fast/maneuverable, 184 mile range
- Hoplite Phalanx: heavy infantry formation: shield, armor, spears, march close in rows
- Hoplites were middle class, depends on cohesion, battles were one day,
- Greek System of Colonies: when one place got too crowded they would found new colonies
- Colonies were independent: governed themselves, bonds between motherland and colony close b/c worship same gods
- Colony owed metropolis respect and offerings
- Colonies could establish their own colonies but had to consult w/ metropolis
- Corinth and Corcyra is case of colony failed to pay due respect and colony surpass power of metropoles's power and become truly independent
- Athens was a direct democracy where citizens met regularly and voted
- Key positions were lottery while ten generals were elected
- Sparta was a mixed constitution but mostly oligarchical (had 2 Kings, gerousia the old, over 18 age is the apella, five leading citizens oversaw king and all policy
- Sparta was a equal society and continually trained for war and although highly capable/cohesive fighting they were reluctant to undertake foreign ventures or expand
- Sparta's food raised by slaves called Helots (ritually humiliated/killed) Sparta feared Helot rebellion
- Sparta and Athens had a bipolar system: Sparta a land power w/out navy and Athens was a naval power w/ small army