Year Twelve (420/19 BC), Alliance: Athens-Argos-Elis-Mantinea
In the spring the Olynthians captured Mecyberna to the east, nearby on the coast, expelled the Athenian garrison and took the city for themselves. The Chalcidian League probably now embraced nearly all the base of the peninsula, except for Bottice on the west and the Andrian colonies (Sane, Acanthus, Stagirus, Argilus) on the east.
While the Argive envoys were at Sparta negotiating a truce, Spartan envoys were at Athens to hand over the Athenians freed by Boeotia, to report the razing of Panactum and to explain their separate alliance with the Boeotian League. Nicias and others were sent to Athens to demand the cancellation of the alliance between Sparta and Boeotia, the restoration of Amphipolis, and the rebuilding and restoration of Panactum. Sparta refused to accept these demands; preferred the alliance with Boeotia even at the risk of war with Athens.
Alcibiades (c.450-404 BC), son of Cleinias (d.447 BC) was to be the last famous member of the Alcmaeonidae. His eloquence gave him for a time a great hold on the Assembly. In June he entered office as strategos and negotiated a hundred-year defensive alliance with Argos, Elis and Mantinea. The four democratic states were now grouped together. Corinth later declined an invitation to join them.
Year Thirteen (419/8 BC): Epidaurus
In the spring Alcibiades led an allied army across northern Peloponnese. During the summer he persuaded Argos to attack Epidaurus lying directly on the line of communications between Athens and Argos. In the winter Sparta sent three hundred men to reinforce Epidaurus by sea. Argos complained that Athens had failed to intercept them. Alcibiades persuaded the people that the Spartan move was a breach of the alliance and to return to Pylos the Messenian garrison from Cephalonia.
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