Athens and Sparta forming opposing alliances and

, are both causes of the Peloponnesian War. Whereas, Macedonia conquering all of Greece and
are effects of the Peloponnesian War.

1 answer

Corrected response:

The formation of opposing alliances by Athens and Sparta was one of the causes of the Peloponnesian War. As tensions rose between the two city-states, they each sought to gather allies to strengthen their position. Athens established the Delian League, which consisted of various Greek city-states that pledged to protect one another from aggression. Sparta, on the other hand, formed the Peloponnesian League, which comprised mainly Peloponnesian states and aimed to counter the growing power of Athens. These opposing alliances further exacerbated the existing rivalry between Athens and Sparta, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431 BC.

As for the effects of the Peloponnesian War, the most significant one was the eventual conquest of all of Greece by Macedonia. The war, which spanned for almost three decades, greatly weakened the major Greek city-states, especially Athens and Sparta. This power vacuum provided an opportunity for the emerging Macedonian kingdom, under the ambitious leadership of King Philip II and later his son Alexander the Great, to seize control. After the Peloponnesian War, Macedonia gradually expanded its influence and eventually conquered all of Greece, unifying the various city-states under its rule. This marked a turning point in Greek history, leading to the rise of the Macedonian Empire and the spread of Hellenistic culture throughout the ancient world.