ABSTRACT
Militarily speaking, the Spartans deserved to win the war. Since, when it broke out, they were dominant on land, the Athenians at sea, if either were to win a meaningful victory, it had to be on the others’ element. But whereas the Spartans learned how to do it, the Athenians never really did. In general, too, the Spartans prosecuted the war with more purpose and more vigour, despite what Thucydides sometimes alleges.
