roposed drawing out diplomatic efforts at reconciliation in order to buy time for preparations. He then proposed courting new allies with the specific goal of increasing naval and financial resources. He was keenly aware that the mightiest army in the world could not win without naval support.Archidamus did not suppose that he could match the Athenian Navy, however, no matter how many new allies Sparta courted. His strategy instead was to use his army to dominate Athenian allied cities and take all Athenian land outside the walled city of Athens - in effect, hold it hostage. He would then use his navy to block Athens' main external source of grain supplies from Crimea. Corinthian allies proposed additional tactics, including the establishment of fortified camps on seized Athenian lands and fostering revolts among Athenian ally cities, which would choke off revenue to the war chest. War was still not Archidamus' hope, and his suggestion for extensive diplomatic efforts at resolution was not purely tactical stalling. Indeed, envoy after envoy was sent to Athens proposing various terms of compromise, but Athens, and in particular Pericles, was unwilling to make concessions.Athenian StrategyMuch of Athens' unwillingness to compromise stemmed from the supreme confidence Pericles had in both his navy and his overall strategy. He knew the Spartan Army was without peer and anticipated the seizure of Athenian lands outside the city walls. In fact, he even proposed that Athenians lay waste to their own lands to deny the Spartan army resources and the opportunity to do so itself; but he knew this was an unrealistic request of the people. Pericles intended to draw citizens inside the protective walls to wait out the Spartan advance. At the same time, the mighty Athenian Navy would both conduct offensive raids on Spartan coastal assets and bring in supplies at the port at Piraeus. Pericles explained that "if the Athenians would remain q...
