The Spartan earthquake was important to the beginning of the tension between Athens and Sparta. In 464 BC, Sparta promised to help Thasos, who were revolting from Athens, by launching an invasion of Attica, but a devastating earthquake created a full-scale helot revolt. Sparta called upon all its allies to help suppress the helots, especially Athens because of their reputed skill in siege operations, but after an assault failed, the Spartans suspected the Athenians would switch sides and support the helots, so they said that ‘they had now no need of them’ and sent them home. This was seen by Athens as deeply insulting and they broke off their alliance, even later allying themselves with Sparta’s enemy, Argos. Moreover, they helped fleeing rebels…show more content… Epidamnus suffered from internal conflict for control between the Oligarchs and Democrats and after a successful coup by the Democrats, the Oligarchs joined Illyrian barbarian tribes in plundering the Epidamnian countryside. The Epidamnians called upon Corcyra to support them and put an end to the fighting, who refused, leading to them having to look elsewhere for help. By acquiring Corinth’s support, the Democrats caused the Corcyraeans to join in on the side of the exiled. The Corinthians sent a fleet but were defeated and Epidamnus surrendered, but Corcyra was alarmed by Corinth’s threats and convinced Athens to send ships to help them too. This all led to the Battle of Sybota in 433 BC, in which both sides claimed the victory. Athens became convinced that they would have a direct battle against Corinth, a member of the Lacedaemon alliance, and that any peace between the Peloponnesian League and the Delian League would be…show more content… They also believed that Corinth and Perdiccas II of Macedonia could persuade Potidaea, and their other allies in Thrace, to revolt. The Athens therefore demanded that Potidaea ‘raze the walls on the Pallene side of the city, to give hostages, to dismiss the Corinthian magistrates, and in future not to receive the persons sent from Corinth annually to succeed them’. Potidaea sent envoys to both Athens and Sparta, and after Sparta promised to support through an invasion of Attica, they revolted. The combined army of Corinth and Potidaea were defeated by Athens and Potidaea came under siege until 430/29 BC. This event directly caused much discontent between Corinth and Athens and led Corinth to call an assembly in Sparta of all their allies to accuse Athens of breaking the treaty. All their allies spoke about how Athens had wronged them and eventually Sparta voted to declare war on Athens. Despite Sparta not being involved directly at Potidaea, the events that occurred there directly led to the declaration of war by Sparta in 431
