Alessandro Carli
Profile
After a master’s degree in Classical Studies, Alessandro Carli is currently a PhD student in Classical Studies and Archaeology at the University of Pisa – University of Siena (curriculum in Anthropology of the Ancient World), with a project on Spartan strategy during the early years of the Peloponnesian War. His research interests encompass various aspects of warfare from the 5 th to the 4 th centuries BC, namely hoplitism, naval warfare, and poliorcetics, as well as the history of Classical Sparta.
Abstract
This research project aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of conflict during the early years of the Peloponnesian War, with a primary focus on the Spartan side. By integrating three scholarly strands that have developed independently – the Thucydidean tradition, studies of Classical Sparta, and the up-to-date research on ancient warfare – the project aims to converge these approaches. Through a close reading of the first four books of Thucydides’ Histories, it will reconstruct the course of the initial six years of the Archidamian War. Following the declaration of war, Sparta was compelled to undertake a wide-ranging mobilisation, directly involving its allies – the members of the so-called Peloponnesian League – across various theatres. This inquiry will shed light on the power dynamics between Sparta and its co-belligerents, emphasising the mechanism by which Sparta asserted and performed its hegemonic position. Furthermore, the project offers an opportunity to examine various internal vertical and horizontal dynamics within Spartan society, from the interplay with the dyarchy to the relations between generals, troops, and Spartan authorities, as well as the roles of the Perioikoi and the Helots.
