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 outcome of the Athenian expedition to Sicily?

What role did religious beliefs play in the decisions made during the Sicilian expedition?