Friendship as a basis for alliance bonds between the cities in Ancient Greece in the 5th century BC

What is it about?

According to the theory of modern international relations, political realism is founded by the work of Thucydides. In the 5th century in Ancient Greece there were two opposing military and political coalitions, the Athenian or Delian League and the Spartan League. The overturning of the balance of power between the two coalitions led to the war between them. The basic bond between cities to strengthen the alliance was friendship, which comes from common origin, Ionian or Dorian, or from interest. Parallel concept to friendship was friendly disposition. Periclean politics was based on friendship, while the Lacedaemonian was based more on interest. In the Melian Dialogue the post-Periclean Athenian politics resulted into a power politics (Machtpolitik), which, in the way Thucydides presents it, criticizes it, although he admits that such behaviour is within the framework of human nature.

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Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The competition between the two coalitions in the 5th century, the Athenian and the Spartan League and the importance that the balance of power had in preserving peace in Greece and the basic principles, which are preserving balance and the principle of uneven development, showed their importance during the Cold War period, something that reflects even today in the system of international relations and world power. One can interpret the modern facts in international relations, by observing the development of the relations between the states in Ancient Greece and the principles that defined them, such as friendship, alliances and, of course, power.

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