BC V.-IV. Athens-Sparta-Persian relations in the Centuries

In this thesis, the military and diplomatic relations between the city-states of Athens and Sparta and the Persian Empire in the Classical Period are analysed by presenting the perspectives of these states together and the political relations between them are tried to be better understood. The first chapter, which begins with the evaluation of ancient and modern sources on the subject and continues with the arrival of the Persians in Anatolia, deals with the contacts of the city-states of Athens and Sparta, each of which struggled to become a regional power, with the Persian Empire. The second part analyses the forced alliance between Sparta and the Persian Empire against Athens, which wanted to establish hegemony instead of becoming a regional power. The third chapter deals with the Persian Empire's efforts to suppress Athens and Sparta by utilising its deep-rooted legacy of a policy of balance. In the conclusion section, the views mentioned throughout the thesis are evaluated and new approaches to the subject are emphasised.