펠로폰네소스 전쟁기 페리클레스의 전략에 관한 고찰

A Study on Pericles Strategy during the Peloponnesian War

The purpose of this paper is to define the characteristics of the strategy of Pericles and the period that the strategy was pursued by Athenians during the Peloponnesian war. Based on these goals, this study analyzed battles of the Athenians from 431 to 421 B.C. Pericles strategy was a maritime strategy which focused on using Athenian Navy and avoiding decisive land battles, and a defensive one yielding initiative of the war to Sparta. At the same time, the strategy was a strategy of deterrence to prevent Sparta from launching endless attacks on Athens and Attica, though the deterrent power of Athens was limited. The basic goal of the strategy was to sustain Athens by maintaining Athenian Navy harmless and to wait until Sparta gave up the war. Under Pericles strategy, during the period between 431 and 425 B.C., the Athenians, upon Peloponnesian attacks, continued to retaliate against enemy invasion by rupturing their shores using the navy. At the same time, the Athenians elaborately constructed a net of strategic defense to guard major accesses to Athens. With these efforts, the Athenians gained great success to capture Spartan elites at Pylos and to take the initiative of the war in 425 B.C. However, the Athenians abandoned Pericles strategy since 424 B.C.: they found another solution to replace the strategy at the success of Pylos. They wanted to replicate the success again. The Athenians moved aggressively to conquer areas where looked essential for their strategic benefits. It was the behavior that Pericles warned, not to expand the war. After four years of the expansion strategy, in 421 B.C., the Athenians signed on the agreement of truce with Spartans on unfavorable terms.