Hello and welcome to another ancient warfare magazine podcast. I'm Angus Wallace. In this episode,

I'm joined by Joshua Browers, Murray Darm, Mark McCaffrey, Owen Reese and Roan Cronidac.

We're looking at Ancient Warfare Magazine Volume 10, Issue 1. The conflict between Sparta and Athens,

The Academian Wars. we've had a few questions which

were posted for us on facebook you can find the magazine online at ancient dash warfare.com

or search facebook for ancient warfare magazine we tend to put out a call for questions a week

so before we do the recording.

So guys, let's start at the beginning. The Academian War is the first act of the Peloponnesian War.

We have two rival power blocks. I wonder if someone could set the scene.

Basically, as soon as the Persian Wars end, or it's the Persian invasion and defeated,

tension starts to rise between Athens and Sparta, because Athens at this point has taken

over the naval alliance that is trying to push the Persians back, and the Spartans are really

concerned about the rise of this new power that is going to eventually start forcing its allies back into the alliance,

start transforming this alliance into its own empire.

And already in 479 there's tension over the fact that the Athenians are rebuilding their city walls,

which the Spartans have rather they didn't.

And it sort of keeps on building from there.

And the further problem is that the Athenian expansion or the rise of the Athenian empire

also flashes with the interests of one of Sparta's prime allies, Corinth, which actually

leads after a few decades to what's called the first Philippineasian war.

And we haven't really covered that at all, I think, in the volume.

But this is the first time that Athens and Sparta are formally at war.

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