A Fateful Eclipse

The video discusses the Athenian invasion of Sicily during the Peloponnesian War, highlighting the strategic error made by Athens in 415 BC. The destruction of religious statues, known as herms, caused unrest in Athens. Alcebaides, a key leader, was accused of religious misconduct and defected to Sparta, providing them with intelligence. The Sicilian expedition ended disastrously due to a lunar eclipse misinterpreted as a bad omen, illustrating the conflict between scientific understanding and religious beliefs.

What was the primary reason for the Athenians' decision to invade Sicily?

• To capture a rich and distant land

• To form an alliance with the Sicilians

• To seek revenge against the Spartans

• To establish a new trade route

What was the significance of the vandalized herms in Athens?

• They represented the Athenian government

• They were a tribute to the Spartan gods

• They were considered a bad omen

• They were a symbol of military power

Why was Alcibiades accused and what was the outcome?

• He was accused of theft and imprisoned

• He was accused of religious misconduct and defected to Sparta

• He was accused of espionage and exiled

• He was accused of treason and executed

What caused the Athenian forces to delay their escape from Syracuse?

• A shortage of supplies

• A Spartan blockade

• A lunar eclipse

• A sudden storm

What does the outcome of the Sicilian expedition illustrate about the Athenians?

• Their reliance on scientific knowledge

• Their disregard for military strategy

• Their successful conquest of Sicily

• Their conflict between science and religion