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factbase-ancient-history/treaties/peace-of-nicias.md
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Peace of Nicias

Peace of Nicias

Overview

The Peace of Nicias (421 BCE) was a treaty intended to end the first phase of the Peloponnesian War (the Archidamian War) between Athens and Sparta. It was supposed to last 50 years but effectively collapsed within a few years.

Key Facts

  • Date: 421 BCE
  • Parties: Athens and Sparta (and their respective allies)
  • Context: Ended the Archidamian War (431421 BCE), first phase of the Peloponnesian War
  • Duration: Nominally 50 years; effectively ~6 years

Terms

  • Return of prisoners and captured territories
  • Mutual non-aggression for 50 years
  • Disputes to be settled by arbitration 1

Failure

  • Key Spartan allies (Corinth, Boeotia) refused to sign
  • Neither side fully implemented the terms
  • Alcibiades undermined the peace by forming an anti-Spartan alliance
  • The Sicilian Expedition (415413 BCE) effectively ended any pretense of peace 2


Review Queue

  • @q[temporal] Line 10: "Date: 421 BCE" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 11: "Parties: Athens and Sparta (and their respective allies)" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 12: "Context: Ended the Archidamian War (431421 BCE), first phase of the Pelopo..." - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 13: "Duration: Nominally 50 years; effectively ~6 years" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 16: "Return of prisoners and captured territories" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 17: "Mutual non-aggression for 50 years" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 18: "Disputes to be settled by arbitration 1 " - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 21: "Key Spartan allies (Corinth, Boeotia) refused to sign" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 22: "Neither side fully implemented the terms" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 23: "Alcibiades undermined the peace by forming an anti-Spartan alliance" - when was this true?

  • @q[temporal] Line 24: "The Sicilian Expedition (415413 BCE) effectively ended any pretense of pea..." - when was this true?

  • @q[missing] Line 10: "Date: 421 BCE" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 11: "Parties: Athens and Sparta (and their respective allies)" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 12: "Context: Ended the Archidamian War (431421 BCE), first phase of the Pelopo..." - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 13: "Duration: Nominally 50 years; effectively ~6 years" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 16: "Return of prisoners and captured territories" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 17: "Mutual non-aggression for 50 years" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 21: "Key Spartan allies (Corinth, Boeotia) refused to sign" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 22: "Neither side fully implemented the terms" - what is the source?

  • @q[missing] Line 23: "Alcibiades undermined the peace by forming an anti-Spartan alliance" - what is the source?

  • @q[stale] Line 24: "The Sicilian Expedition (415413 BCE) effectively ended any pretense of pea..." - Kagan source from 1981 may be outdated, is this still accurate?


  1. Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.1819 ↩︎

  2. Kagan, D. The Peace of Nicias and the Sicilian Expedition (Cornell, 1981) ↩︎