The Countryside of Attica and the Peloponnesian War

This research investigates the impact of the Peloponnesian War on the local communities of Attica. This is done by employing a two fold approach: first, the historical sources on the Peloponnesian War are discussed. Secondly, the archaeological material in the period 450-350 is analyzed. By comparing these two sources of evidence, it becomes clear that the material remains paint a different picture of the situation in Attica during the Peloponnesian War than the historical sources do. This book shows that instead of the widespread belief in the total evacuation and destruction of the demes of Attica during the war, which is mainly based on the descriptions by Thucydides, a more nuanced position should be adopted. This research combines historical and archaeological methods into a new approach that shows that the countryside of Attica stayed active during and after the Peloponnesian war.