Study On The Development Of Spartan Maritime Forces In The Classical Period

The development history of Spartan maritime forces plays an important part in the development history of its polis.Since the middle of the 6th century B.C,Spartan maritime forces have initially developed.By the beginning of the 5th century B.C,the maritime power of Sparta and its allies was the largest power in the Greek world at that time.Sparta once controlled the eastern Mediterranean sea.With the rise of the maritime power in Athens,the Spartan maritime power was weakened.During the Peloponnesian war,Spartan maritime forces began to flourish and gradually developed into a maritime empire.After the battle of Cnidus,Spartan maritime power was gradually diminishing,and maritime hegemony was at stake.Throughout the development history of the Spartan state,maritime forces have played an important role that cannot be ignored.The rise,development and decline of Spartan maritime forces must be the result of multiple causes,which require comprehensive analysis and comprehensive consideration.Based on classical historical data and the research results of modern scholars,this article intends to clarify the development of Sparta's maritime forces,and analyze the factors that affect the development of its maritime forces.This article is composed of introduction,main text,and conclusion.The main text is divided into three parts.The first part describes the preliminary development of Sparta's early maritime forces.From the second half of the 6th century B.C to the beginning of the 5th century,Sparta established an overseas colony,launched maritime expeditions,and strengthened the control of coastal and surrounding waters with a non-professional maritime armed force,which was the concentrated expression of the development.At the end of the Persian Wars,the increase in the maritime strength of Athens forced Sparta,that haspoor naval power to dominate the Greek mainland,and the Spartan maritime power was weakened.The second part focuses on the rise of Spartan maritime forces.During the Peloponnesian war,during the maritime game between Sparta and Athens,the politicians began to attach importance to the enhancement of maritime power and adopted a series of measures that were conducive to enhancing their maritime strength.In the end,Sparta defeated Athens in one fell swoop and won the battle of the Aegospotami.After the Peloponnesian war,Sparta was once among the Greek naval hegemony.The third part mainly analyzes the cause of the decline of Spartan sea power.After the defeat of the Cnidus naval battle,the Spartan maritime forces gradually declined.The decline of Spartan maritime forces,in addition to the continuous invasion of external forces and the partial collapse of the alliance,is also closely related to the disadvantages of the Spartan traditional system,insufficient human resources,and shortage of funds.