Reading and Short Questions
1. PELOPONNESIAN WAR
Two Grecian city-states clashed during the Peloponnesian War.
a. Identify the two city-states.
b. What and where is ‘Peloponnesus'?
c. Which of the two city-states is actually located in/on Peloponnesus?
c. Note the oddity. The ‘greatest action...in Hellenic history' (the Peloponnesian War) did not take place in the place for which the war was named! Who were the victors (winners) AND who were the vanquished (losers) AND where did this momentous [zero sum] battle take place, according to Thucydides?
2. ATHENS
According to Bernstein, Athens was ‘driven' to empire by geographical/geological circumstances.
a. You have learned that products could be transported by land or by sea between China and Rome.
How was trade conducted between the Greek city-states AND why?
b. You have also learned that many of the products traded were highly valued, luxury goods; but the trade patterns of the Greek city-states were driven by necessity. What was the commodity most sought after by Athens (and the other city-states) AND why did they have to import that commodity rather than produce it themselves?
c. What were the three sources of Athens' imports of this vital ‘bulk' or staple or essential good? (recall map in book)
d. Athens' dependence on trade is evident in its arrangement at Piraeus.
What was Piraeus AND what structure did Athens build there AND why?
e. As a result of its dependence on one of these foreign sources, Athens and its rivals clashed over a "strait"-a route to the Pontus region.
What was the Pontus region AND through what three ‘straits' must ships traverse to reach that destination from the Aegean? (just cite the names of three waterways (conduits) from the Aegean to this region).