Pelopenesian Wars

[lonewolf371]

Syracuse had a big part to play in the downfall of Athens... Had they not been so bold to send their fleet and manpower to Syracuse they might have won the war. Syracuse was an unwinnable objective. it was even worse that they wouldn't listen to the general in thefield and pull out before it all went to hell... But the eclipse that year worked to Sparta's advantage and after the first defeat outside Syracuse the Athenian general (i cant place his name right now... its starts with an N) saw the Eclipse and refused to retreat till the eclipse was done. allowing sparta to catch up and destroy the fleet what was left of their army.

The Syracuse expedition might not have been so doomed if political considerations hadn't prompted Alcibiades to switch sides and warn the Syracusans and Spartans of the whole plan and how to counter it. Alcibiades is an incredible figure in the war, probably my favorite of all. If he had commanded the Syracuse expedition, it might have been successful.

[Cimon]

Alcibiades is an incredible figure in the war, probably my favorite of all.

My favorite person that was involved is Thrasybulus. Although, admittedly, it mostly for what he did after the war during the Thirty Tyrants than during it. Still, his contributions at Cyzicus were extremely valuable, and, if one takes Kagan's view, probably more important that Alcibiades', although I think there is room for both views.