Context and Timing

• When:

  The initial outbreak struck in 430 BCE, with additional waves in 429 and 427-426 BCE, lasting for a total of about four to five years. 

• Why:

  Athens was overcrowded with refugees during the war, and a military strategy relied on imported grain, which may have been tainted and introduced the disease. 

Effects of the Plague

• Human Toll: The plague killed over 30,000 citizens, sailors, and soldiers. 

• Social Impact: It profoundly altered the social fabric of Athens, with a historian who survived the outbreak, Thucydides, describing its devastating effects on the city's population and social values. 

• Impact on the War: The loss of manpower and the death of Pericles significantly weakened Athens and affected the course of the war. 

Life in Athens during the Peloponnesian War was tough. The war was between Athens and Sparta, two of the most powerful city-states in ancient Greece. The war lasted for 27 years, from 431 to 404 BC. It was a very difficult time for the Athenians.

The Peloponnesian War was fought between the Delian League, led by Athens, and the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta. The war started because of growing tensions between Athens and Sparta. The war involved most of the Greek city-states.

At the start of the war in 431 BC, Sparta invaded Attica, the region around Athens. The Athenians stayed inside the city walls, relying on their strong navy to bring in supplies. This caused many people from the countryside to move into Athens, making the city overcrowded.

One of the worst things that happened during the war was the Plague of Athens. It started in 430 BC, just one year after the war began. The plague killed many people, possibly 75,000 to 100,000. That was about 25% of the city's population. The plague made life in Athens even harder.

The plague had a big impact on Athenian society. People started to lose their faith in traditional religious practices. They became more superstitious. It took Athens about 15 years to recover from the plague.

The war also caused political problems in Athens. People disagreed about how to govern the city and whether to keep fighting. The war weakened Athens, and in 404 BC, Sparta defeated Athens.

After the war, Sparta took over Athens and ended its democracy. Life in Athens changed a lot during the Peloponnesian War. It was a time of war, disease, and political problems.