Sparta won the Peloponnesian War, the 27-year-long conflict Athenian expansion brought on between 431-404 BCE, and the only event that finally dragged the Spartans into prolonged military action.

To survive in a post-Oct. 7 world in which the Islamic Republic of Iran wages a seven-front war against it, contends Shavit, Israel must combine the virtues of Athens and Sparta.

The Peloponnesian War: Athens, Sparta and the Struggle for Greece Nigel Bagnall, . . St. Martin's, $27.95 (318pp) ISBN 978-0-312-34215-9 ...

Something paradoxical happened at the height of hostilities between Athens and Sparta, which culminated in the devastating Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.).

To survive in a post-Oct. 7 world in which the Islamic Republic of Iran wages a seven-front war against it, contends Shavit, Israel must combine the virtues of Athens and Sparta.

To survive in a post-Oct. 7 world in which the Islamic Republic of Iran wages a seven-front war against it, contends Shavit, Israel must combine the virtues of Athens and Sparta.

To survive in a post-Oct. 7 world in which the Islamic Republic of Iran wages a seven-front war against it, contends Shavit, Israel must combine the virtues of Athens and Sparta.

Pericles persuades Athens to go to war Pericles' plan to defeat Sparta seemed to have taken account of everything. With a fleet of 300 triremes; 13,000 hoplite infantrymen; 1,200 cavalry and16,000 ...