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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. According to Cleon, why does the attack at Sphacteria stall?
(a) Too much rest time
(b) Not enough troops
(c) Poor field management
(d) The curse of the gods

2. How are Spartan envoys able to get through the Athenian blockade of Mytilene?
(a) They go around and come in on the back side of Lesbos.
(b) They disguise themselves as merchant ships.
(c) In those days, envoys are always given safe passage.
(d) They infiltrate the Athenians and get into the city.

3. Why is it necessary for triremes to come ashore often?
(a) The triremes need some of the weight reduced.
(b) The boats have to be repaired often.
(c) The crews need space to cook, sleep and relax.
(d) The triremes have no bathroom facilities.

4. What political action does Sparta take in 432 BC?
(a) Sparta pulls out of the conflict between Corinth and Athens.
(b) Sparta begins adding more allies to the Peloponnesian League.
(c) Sparta holds a referrendum to see what their citizens want to do.
(d) Sparta decides to declare war against Athens.

5. In the case of a conquered land, what is the general practice of that time regarding private property?
(a) Land is confiscated and given to citizens of the conquering nation.
(b) The land is redistributed among the citizens of the conquered country.
(c) All the land becomes public property administered by the state.
(d) The conquered people are allowed to keep their land.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the first Athenian to suggest fortifying Pylos?

2. Where is is the Peloponnesus itself?

3. Who are the peltasts?

4. What are the four major geographic areas listed in Book One?

5. What complication does geographic scope add to the difficulty of reading Book One?

Short Essay Questions

1. What complicates the chronology of Thucydides' history?

2. In 426 BC, what prevented the annual invasion of Attica by the Peloponnesian forces?

3. What was Sparta's advantage in the war?

4. How did Athens rise to its highest political power?

5. What effort did Sparta make to get the Athenians out of Pylos?

6. Rather than meet the Peloponnesian land forces head on, what was Pericles' recommendation?

7. After the battle for Pylos, what happened to the Spartan survivors?

8. What was the only threat to Athenian power after the defeat of the invading Persians?

9. What was Thucydides' attitude toward so-called supernatural occurrences?

10. What was unusual about Spartan use of new methods of war?

(see the answer keys)

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