relationship Athens + Sparta

The victory at Salamis not only gave the Athenians complete control of the Aegean Sea but it enabled Athens to have the reputation as equal co-leader of Greece. He amassed a huge army and marched unopposed across the Hellespont. This is apparent in a primary source from Plutarch, an ancient Roman historian. The Spartan and Athenian relationship came to a climax, when Themistocles formed the Delian League as a result of his anti-Spartan policy! The Delian league was a counter weight for the Spartans Peloponnesian League. When the Persians invaded Marathon in 490BC, Sparta did not believe that the Persians would threaten them and only wanted control of Athens. ” Never the less, Athens defeated the Persians at marathon (with the help of the Plateans). “Eurybiades … showed little determination in the face of danger and was anxious to hoist sail for the Isthmus. Athenian reputation as a co-leader of Greece – naval power, can be credited to Themistocles, through his diverse promotion as Athens as a naval power. Finally, the emergence of Athens as a rival co-leader of Greece under the leadership of Themistocles and the establishment of the Delian League led to an outbreak of war. Both Sparta and Athens had entirely different mentalities towards things. The Spartans once again, due to their foreign policy wanted to defend the Isthmus instead of fighting at Salamis. The Athenians eventually won the battle through Themistocles strategic planning and his newly perfected triremes. Due to Sparta’s xenophobia, the Spartans were only interested in defending the Isthmus and so only provided 300 frontline spartiate hoplites led by king Leonidas, accompanied by a large helot force at Themopylae. Quarrelling between the city-states, particularly Athens and Sparta continued to plague their unified efforts. Greeks’ discontent with Persian domination was widespread, which ultimately led to revolt.