21. Power of Sparta. — After having secured possession of Messenia, Sparta conquered the southern part of Argolis, and thus gained control of a long strip of the eastern coast of the peninsula. All the southern portion of the Peloponnesus was now subject to her commands.

Date: 6 April 2024
Time: 14:41:58 CEST
Topic: 21. Power of Sparta. — After having secured possession of Messenia, Sparta conquered the southern part of Argolis, and thus gained control of a long strip of the eastern coast of the peninsula. All the southern portion of the Peloponnesus was now subject to her commands.
Tags: victory, Messenian Wars, dominance, territorial expansion, alliances, Southern Peloponnese, Messenia, Argolis, coastline, Spartan rule, expansion, Arcadian towns, Tegea, alliance, leadership, Temple of Zeus, Olympia, Pan-Hellenic Games, fame, international recognition, Croesus, Lydia, Persian power, alliance

Following their victory in the Messenian Wars, Sparta's path to dominance unfolded through territorial expansion and key alliances.

Southern Peloponnese Secured: Conquering Messenia provided Sparta with control of a fertile neighboring territory. They further solidified their dominance by seizing the southern region of Argolis, granting them a significant stretch of the eastern Peloponnesian coastline. The entire southern portion of the peninsula became subject to Spartan rule.

Limited Expansion Northward: While Sparta extended its influence over some Arcadian towns and villages in the north, their northward expansion was halted by Tegea, a prominent Arcadian city bordering Laconia.

An Unexpected Ally: Despite successfully resisting Spartan aggression, Tegea surprisingly formed an alliance with Sparta around 560 BC. This alliance became a cornerstone of Spartan dominance in Greece for over a century.

Leadership on the National Stage: As the most powerful Peloponnesian state, Sparta assumed leadership of the prestigious league safeguarding the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. Through the Pan-Hellenic Games held there every four years, Sparta's fame transcended the borders of Greece itself.

International Recognition: Sparta's growing power attracted the attention of Croesus, king of Lydia. Facing the rising Persian power in Asia, he sought an alliance with Sparta in his ill-fated war.