uiet, take care of their fleet, refrain from trying to extend their empire in wartime and thus putting their city in danger, they would prevail." In other words, the best offense is a good defense. This conservative strategy, too, has support from Sun Tzu, who noted that "invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the attack." Comparison Of StrategiesReviewing King Archidamus' projections, from both his perspective and with the benefit of hindsight, reveal his sagacity. Archidamus was keenly aware of Sparta's main weakness - its navy - and took affirmative steps before engaging in battle to address the problem. He delayed engagement for this purpose, but also to allow cooler heads to prevail after the heated debates demanding a swift attack on Athens. Archidamus knew that "a victorious army wins its victories before seeking battle; an army destined to defeat fights in the hope of winning." This tactic makes sense from a practical standpoint as well. In comparison, it would be easier for a nation to acquire or ally with a navy in some form than to acquire an army. Buying ships is easier than buying soldiers. Archidamus could not hope to acquire a navy equal to Athens', but he did not need such a fleet. He did not need to defeat the entire Athenian Navy; he only needed to complete the choke-hold on Athens begun by his army outside the city walls.Pericles' strategy, on the other hand, had problems from the onset. While Archidamus sought to shore up his weak navy, Pericles made no attempt to shore up his weak army; and as strong as the Athenian Navy was, it did not pose a major threat to the city of Sparta. The ancient ships of the era did not pose a threat of shore bombardment or major amphibious landings. While Athenian forces made raids and even established small coastal bases in Spartan territory, these forays were unable to inflict sufficient damage to aid the Athenian fight. In addition, crowding ...
