A Naval History of the Peloponnesian War torrent

A Naval History of the Peloponnesian War - Marc G. DeSantis [epub]

Naval power played a vital role in the Peloponnesian War. The conflict pitted Athens against a powerful coalition including the preeminent land power of the day, Sparta. Only Athens’ superior fleet, her ‘wooden walls’, by protecting her vital supply routes allowed her to survive. It also allowed the strategic freedom of movement to strike back where she chose, most famously at Sphacteria, where a Spartan force was cut off and forced to surrender.

Athens’ initial tactical superiority was demonstrated at the Battle of Chalcis, where her ships literally ran rings round the opposition but this gap closed as her enemies adapted. The great amphibious expedition to Sicily was a watershed, a strategic blunder compounded by tactical errors which brought defeat and irreplaceable losses.

Although Athens continued to win victories at sea, at Arginusae for example, her naval strength had been severely weakened while the Spartans built up their fleets with Persian subsidies. It was another naval defeat, at Aegispotomi (405 BC) that finally sealed Athens’ fate. Marc De Santis narrates these stirring events while analyzing the technical, tactical and strategic aspects of the war at sea.

Marc DeSantis is the author of the Punic Wars naval history Rome Seizes the Trident and the upcoming A Naval History of the Peloponnesian War. His articles have appeared in a wide range of international publications including MHQ, Military History, Ancient Warfare, Military History Monthly, History of War, and Ancient History Magazine. In addition to his historical writings, Marc is the author of the science fiction novel The Memnon Incident, the epic fantasy novel Blood Like Wine, and several short stories, including Across Alien Seas, A Knight of Mars, Imperial Colleague, and By the Blade.

Hardcover: 280 pages
Publisher: Pen and Sword Military (January 4, 2018)