What happened at Corcyra?

In the fifth year of the Peloponnesian war (427 BCE), Athens’ ally Corcyra fell victim to internal strife, a vicious struggle between the commons, allies of Athens, and the oligarchs, who were eager to enlist the support of the Spartans.

What did Corinth do in the Peloponnesian War?

Corinth did so by provoking ally Sparta into breaking the treaty and attacking Athens. The biggest nail in the coffin for those who do not support the Corinth theory is that the rivalry between Corinth and Athens exceeded that between Sparta and Athens.

Why did Athens help Corcyra?

Athens decided to grant Corcyra an alliance, but only in the case that the city was being attacked. Their motivation was to keep Sparta from seizing Corcyra’s massive navy, while remaining as neutral as possible.

Why did Athens side with Corcyra?

Athens would enhance its reputation as a reliable partner upon which other states could rest their security. Corcyra would be indebted to Athens and thus extremely loyal. Although they had been neutral, the Corcyraeans insisted that they could be trusted as new partners.

What was the civil war at Corcyra about?

Thucydides describes the situation during the civil war in Corcyra by saying that the citizens are sharply divided into two camps, consisting of Democrats on one side and Oligarchs on the other. There is a complete lack of trust on both sides and traditional values and social norms are being completely disregarded.

What caused the conflict between Corcyra and Corinth to erupt?

What caused the conflict between Corcyra and Corinth to erupt? The Corcyraeans refused to come to the aid of their colony, so the Epidamnians consulted the oracle at Delphi. The oracle recommended that they seek help from the Corinthians, who despised the Corcyraeans.

What was Corinth known for?

Corinth is most known for being a city-state that, at one time, had control of two strategic ports. One of the reasons why Corinth was so important is because it had two ports Lechaion, which was located in the northern part of the city-state, and Kehries, which is located on the coast of the Saronic Gulf.

What was the catalyst for the Peloponnesian War?

The Battle of Potidaea was, with the Battle of Sybota, one of the catalysts for the Peloponnesian War. It was fought near Potidaea in 432 BC between Athens and a combined army from Corinth and Potidaea, along with their various allies.

Was Corcyra a colony of Corinth?

Korkyra (also Corcyra; Greek: Κόρκυρα, Kórkyra) was an ancient Greek city on the island of Corfu in the Ionian sea, adjacent to Epirus. It was a colony of Corinth, founded in the Archaic period.

What strategic advantage did the Athenians see in an alliance with Corcyra?

The Athenians make a defensive alliance with Corcyra because of its large fleet and strategic position on the route to Italy and Sicily. The Athenians make this alliance to strengthen their position in the event of a larger war with the Peloponnesians.

Who won the civil war in Corcyra?

According to Thucydides, in c. 660 BCE the two fought in a sea battle with Corcyra victorious. The Corinthian tyrant Periander brought the island once again in line with the mother city but on his death the island once again fought for independence.

Who was the leader that wanted to defend Corcyra And what did he end up doing?

The Athenian government debated the suggestion, but its leader Pericles suggested a defensive alliance with Corcya, sending a small number of ships to protect it against Corinthian forces.

What happened to Corcyra in ancient Greece?

In the fifth year of the Peloponnesian war (427 BCE), Athens’ ally Corcyra fell victim to internal strife, a vicious struggle between the commons, allies of Athens, and the oligarchs, who were eager to enlist the support of the Spartans.

What happened to Corcyra after the Battle of Sybota?

After the battle of Sybota the Corinth-Corcyra war lost its intensity, before two years later becoming part of the wider Great Peloponnesian War, in which Corcyra fought on the side of Athens and Corinth on the side of Sparta.

What did the Corcyraeans raise the prospect of taking over Athens?

Finally the Corcyraeans raised the prospect of Corinth taking possession of their powerful fleet, leaving Athens to face the combined fleets of Corinth, Corcyra and the Peloponnese.

How did Corcyra’s Navy compare to Athenian?

Corinth’s power and prestige had been declining, whereas Corcyra’s isolationism had resulted in the astonishing growth of her navy, such that Corcyra now had 120 ships. In other words, Corcyra’s fleet was only second to the Athenian fleet in size.