Peace of Nicias facts for kids
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The treaty is named for Athenian Statesmen and General Nicias.
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| Type | Peace treaty |
|---|---|
| Signed | March 421 BC |
| Signatories | Nicias King Pleistoanax |
| Parties | Athens
Sparta |
| Language | Ancient Greek |
The Peace of Nicias was an important peace treaty. It was signed between two powerful Greek city-states: Athens and Sparta. This agreement happened in March 421 BC. Its main goal was to stop the first part of the long and difficult Peloponnesian War.
Contents
Why Was Peace Needed?
Battles and Losses for Both Sides
By 425 BC, Sparta had faced big defeats. They lost battles at Pylos and Sphacteria. Athens captured 292 Spartan soldiers. Many of these were Spartiates, who were important Spartan citizens.
However, Sparta fought back. In 424 BC, their general Brasidas captured Amphipolis. This was an important city for Athens. Later that year, Athens lost badly at the Battle of Delium in Boeotia.
Key Leaders Lost
In 422 BC, Athens tried to take back Amphipolis. They lost again at the Battle of Amphipolis. In this battle, both sides lost their main leaders. Brasidas, Sparta's top general, was killed. Cleon, Athens's leading politician, also died.
By this time, both Athens and Sparta were very tired of fighting. They had lost many soldiers and resources. This made them ready to talk about peace.
Making the Peace Treaty
Who Negotiated the Peace?
The talks for peace began with important leaders. Pleistoanax, who was the King of Sparta, led the Spartan side. Nicias, a respected Athenian general, led the Athenian side. They worked together to find a way to end the war.
What Were the Main Ideas for Peace?
The best idea for peace was to return things to how they were before the war. But there were a few exceptions. Athens would keep control of Nisaea. Thebes would keep control of Plataea.
Amphipolis was supposed to go back to Athens. Pylos was to be returned to Sparta. Athens would also free the Spartan prisoners from Sphacteria. In return, Sparta and Thebes would release any Athenian prisoners.
Other Important Agreements
The treaty also said that temples across Greece would be open to everyone. People from all cities could worship there. The famous oracle at Delphi would become independent again.
Athens could still collect money from states that had paid them since the time of Aristides. But Athens could not force these states to become their allies. Athens also promised to help Sparta if their enslaved people, called helots, rebelled.
However, not all of Sparta's allies agreed to this peace. Boeotia, Corinth, Elis, Megara, and Amphipolis did not like the treaty.
The Treaty's Promise and Failure
Who Swore to Uphold the Treaty?
Seventeen representatives from each side promised to follow the treaty. They swore an oath to keep the peace for fifty years.
The Spartan representatives included kings Pleistoanax and Agis II. Other important Spartans like Pleistolas and Damagetus were also there.
The Athenian representatives included Lampon, Isthmonicus, and Nicias. Other key Athenians like Laches, Lamachus, and Demosthenes also swore the oath.
Why the Peace Didn't Last
Athens's main goal was to get Amphipolis back. But Clearidas, a Spartan, managed to add a rule to the treaty. This rule stopped Amphipolis from being given back to Athens.
Because of this, the treaty was in trouble from the very start. There were several more problems and failures. Finally, the Peace of Nicias was officially ended in 414 BC. This meant the Peloponnesian War started up again for its second stage.
See also
- List of treaties
