Siege of Athens (CYOAH!3)

When it became clear that the Athenians would not budge from the walls of the city, the Spartans chose to bring the city to siege in an attempt to provoke a decisive battle.

This would prove to be a mistake for the Spartans. While their constant presence did allow them to win a number of minor battles with Athenian allies in the region throughout 431 and 430 BC, Athens was well supplied by sea, and the siege never came to anything.

A major development in Attica did not come until the Plague of 430 BC struck the city of Athens. The Athenians were particularly devastated, while the Spartan army was weakened and forced to retreat.

Meanwhile, without Spartan assistance, Potidaea would fall to the Athenians, although not without a long and very costly siege. The Athenians have also managed to establish a stronghold south of Spartan territory, near Pylos, on the island of Sphacteria. With the majority of Sparta's military preoccupied, revolts have broken out across Spartan territory, aided by the Athenians from this base. While we could quickly withdraw and suppress the revolt, our forces are also in a position to march west through Boeotia and seize the states allied to Athens on the north of the Gulf of Corinth, while leaving the revolt to the garrisons and allies further south.


 * Return home and suppress the Helot revolt directly.
 * March on Acardnania and the other states on the Gulf of Corinth, while Athens is weak and distracted.