The Persian Wars
There were three main reasons war broke out. First, some city-states feared Athens because of its grab for power and prestige. Second, under the leadership of Pericles, Athens grew from a city-state to a naval empire. Third, some Athenian settlers began to move into the lands of other city-states. Each side in the war had advantages and disadvantages. Sparta had the better land-based military force, and its location could not be attacked by sea. Athens had the better navy and could strike Sparta’s allies by sea. These differences shaped the war strategy of each side. Sparta’s strategy was to cut off the Athenian food supply by destroying crops. The Spartans did this by taking control of the countryside around Athens.Athens’ strategy was to avoid battles on land and to rely on sea power. Eventually, Sparta won the first war.