View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why is Alcibiades not brought to trial immediately after the vandalism for which he is blamed?

2. What practice does Thucydides not value other than recognizing its effect on politics and the military?

3. What happens to the Athenian attack on Amphipolis?

4. What claim does Alcibiades make when the Phoenician navy remains neutral in the Aegean?

5. Who arrives in Sicily and changes the course of the conflict with Athens?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Syracuse put the Athenian forces on the defensive?

2. Besides a war history, what value is placed on the History of the Peloponnesian War?

3. What was Thucydides' intention for his history of the war in terms of future reference?

4. What was the mindset of Athens after the defeats at Syracuse?

5. During the so-called peace of Nicias, what marked the military conflict between Athens and Sparta?

6. What feature of Thucydides' writing would not be acceptable in historical writing today?

7. After Gylippus' arrival in Syracuse, what immediate conflict began between Syracuse and the Athenians?

8. How did the peace of Nicias finally break down?

9. What was so alarming about the revolt of Chios?

10. What commonly held belief did Thucydides reject but observed its impact on the war?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Go through the history and identify some of the major mistakes Athens made during the Peloponnesian War. Be specific about what the mistakes were and how they affected the outcomes. Use other examples from the book than the major mistake of the invasion of Syracuse.

Essay Topic 2

Successful generals often rise to great political power. Write an essay about the events leading to the political power of Demosthenes, Cleon, and Alcibiades. In your essay, contrast the way each of these managed to gain their position.

Essay Topic 3

Look up information about the plague that hit Athens in 430, 429, and 417 BC. Mention in your paper how the plague affected the general population in terms of economics, religion, and the ability to mount a war. Describe in detail the effects of the plague on an individual. Give your opinion as to whether these bouts with the plague affected the ultimate outcome of the Peloponnesian War.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 851 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample