Based on the military historical evidence, Athens lost the Peloponnesian Wars due to the stronger Spartan-Persian alliance, providing Sparta with the funds to build a strong navy and the Athenian democratic trials condemning its most successful generals.
The beginning of a stronger Spartan-Persian alliance provided Sparta with the money to construct a competitive navy with a higher salary. During Athens’ inactivity, the new Spartan navarch Lysander collected “a fleet of 70 ships at Ephesus where he [waited] till Cyrus’ arrival at Sardis”. The Persian prince Cyrus replaced the uncommitted Tissaphernes in 407 and paid for the improvements and the soldiers. Cyrus added “an obol to the sailors’ pay,” raising morale and