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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is the notable politician who is successful in diverting the attention of Sparta from the Athenians?

2. Who are the Athenian hoplites?

3. At the time of the Athenian fortification of Pylos, what is happening in Corcyra?

4. After the prominent Spartan general, Pausanias, briefly becomes politically powerful, what causes his defeat?

5. After the war begins, what diplomatic success does Athens have?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What complicates the chronology of Thucydides' history?

3. What effect did new technology have on the war?

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

5. Describe the conditions before the lead up to the Peloponnesian War.

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

7. What punishment did Athens mete out to Mytilene after the revolt?

8. What military innovation appeared in 424 BC?

9. Simultaneous to the blockade of Mytilene, what offensive action was taken by Athens?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the strident training and discipline of the Spartan warriors. Show how that even though they were persistent underdogs in the Peloponnesian War, the Spartans behaved with uncommon valor. In preparing for this paper, you might want to look up the story of the Spartan 300.

Essay Topic 2

Using information about motives and prejudices among both the Spartans the Athenians, write a paper about the absurdity of war. Evaluate what was actually accomplished from the Peloponnesian War. Include your assessment of war in general.

Essay Topic 3

Describe in detail the Greek phalanx which at one time was considered impregnable. Include the military innovations of the day which finally put an end to that form of warfare. Then discuss how military technology has changed warfare repeatedly down through the ages since the Peloponnesian war.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 668 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample