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After the defeat of Athens at the end of the Peloponnesian War, Sparta became the first power among the Greek city-states. The walls of Athens were pulled down, and the Spartan general,Lysander, appointed thirty men who were loyal to Sparta to run the city. The leaders were called the Thirty Tyrants and they put many of their political opponents, including Socrates to death.
The period immediately after the Peloponnesian war is called the "Spartan Hegemony" because, although Sparta did not collect tribute, it allowed only governments which were friendly to Sparta to exist throughout Greece. The major figure of this period was Agesilaus, a brave and noble Spartan king who came near to freeing all of the Greek Colonies in Asia Minor before he was recalled to deal with a political crisis, at home. While Agesilaus was off fighting Persians in the east, the Spartan government had fallen into a great deal of trouble. The riches and spoils from the successful wars had done much to corrupt the leadership of Sparta as well as the general population; there was destructive intrigue and infighting; and wars with Corinth and Thebes. These problems and reduced population led to the Battle of Leuctra in 371 B.C.
The period immediately after the Peloponnesian war is called the "Spartan Hegemony" because, although Sparta did not collect tribute, it allowed only governments which were friendly to Sparta to exist throughout Greece. The major figure of this period was Agesilaus, a brave and noble Spartan king who came near to freeing all of the Greek Colonies in Asia Minor before he was recalled to deal with a political crisis, at home. While Agesilaus was off fighting Persians in the east, the Spartan government had fallen into a great deal of trouble. The riches and spoils from the successful wars had done much to corrupt the leadership of Sparta as well as the general population; there was destructive intrigue and infighting; and wars with Corinth and Thebes. These problems and reduced population led to the Battle of Leuctra in 371 B.C.
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