Why did Sparta not manage to get control over a large part of the Greek world that Athens did? In 550BC the Spartans defeated Tegea, this was followed by Argos in 544BC. From 520-490BC under king Cleomenes Sparta was seen as the leader of the Peloponnese and the leader in Greek defence against Persia. In 490BC the Peloponnesian league was created with Sparta as the recognised leader. Despite all this, the Spartans never managed …showed first 75 words of 2301 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2301 total…travelling by sea. Athens, as the 'rulers of the ocean' always had a strong advantage over other contenders for power and a veritable stranglehold over smaller states. Whilst both super-powers managed to gain, at certain times a large amount of control over the Greek world, with the advantage of its navy and its calmer, less 'gung-ho' approach to war Athens was always to gain control over a larger part of the Greek world than Sparta.