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Sparta versus Athens
When not being attacked by their powerful neighbours, the Persians, Athens and Sparta turned on each other. But it was not easy for one state to
win out over the other. This is because Athens had a stronger navy and Sparta a stronger army. When Sparta attacked, Athens retreated behind its walls and supplied itself with food using its ships.
Eventually, the Athenians and the Spartans got involved in a thirty year war (called the Peloponnesian War). They slogged it out between themselves for so long that, in the end they were like two punch drunk fighters. Both were fatally weakened, although in the end the Spartans won and forced the Athenians to pull down their city walls.
But these self-inflicted wounds meant that neither Athens nor Sparta could be powerful again, and it was left to a king from the north to rule both cities and far more. This would be Alexander the Great.
CITY, STATE AND WAR
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