Sparte VS Athènes - L'Odyssey du Péloponnèse

In 490 BC, Persian king Darius I invades continental Greece targeting Athens, a city that supported Persian-conquered cities that later rebelled. Darius demands capitulation, but both Sparta and Athens refuse.

The first Greco-Persian war begins, featuring the famous Battle of Marathon. Although things start well for Darius, he is eventually defeated. Darius prepares another campaign but dies from disease, passing power to his son Xerxes.

In 480 BC, ten years later, Xerxes returns to invade Greece again. The well-known Battle of Thermopylae takes place during this conflict, famously depicted in the film 300. Xerxes progresses deep into Greece and rampage Athens but ultimately loses after the naval Battle of Salamis.

After the Greco-Persian wars end, the Delian League is created in 478 BC as a political and military coalition of multiple Greek cities around the Aegean Sea. Led by Athens on the principle of equality and unity against Persian threat, the league organizes regular expeditions and sends reinforcements to Egyptians fighting Persians.

Athens begins mounting pressure on other Delian League members and dominates the union, intimidating members who plan to leave. The league practically becomes the Athenian empire rather than an equal coalition.

Sparta does not join the Delian League but enters the Peloponnesian League, which had long been concerned about Athenian ambitions. By 432 BC, many cities wish to break free from Athens as its interference becomes oppressing.

The Peloponnesian League declares war on Athens and its allied cities, setting off one of the most violent conflicts of that time: the Peloponnesian War.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey takes place during this unquiet context. The player character is a descendant of the famous Spartan king Leonidas but does not support his ancestors' side. Instead, the hero is a mercenary, representing the growing number of mercenaries offering their war skills to the highest bidder.

• The Delian League led by Pericles disposes of an enormous economic empire with permanent goods supplies by sea • Receives financial contributions from allied cities • Owns a large fleet of ancient war ships called triremes • Commands a 10,000 soldier army supported by additional forces equivalent to two cities of Athens

• Spartans are known as better warriors with fearless reputation in ground combat • Army of 40,000 people provides four-fold numerical advantage over Athenians • Opponents stand no chance against them in land warfare • However, Sparta is not economically strong and cannot afford a siege of Athens

Spartans limit actions to countryside attacks hoping the Delian League leaves the city, but Athenians have no desire to do so. Athens dominates the sea while Sparta dominates the earth, resulting in mutual observation and criticism.

The Peloponnesian War reflects one of the most interesting and complex periods of Greek history and is one of the most heavily covered periods when discussing ancient Greece.

The Acropolis is the must-see place in Greece, comparable to the Eiffel Tower for Paris. Acropolis literally means 'high city' and was originally a stone plateau inhabited by Athenians that was transformed into a full-fledged fortress due to wars with other cities.

During the Greco-Persian wars the Acropolis is partly destroyed. After wars, it is chosen as a sanctuary for the city protector goddess Athena. The character of Minerva, a Roman peer of Athena, intervenes in the Assassin's Creed game on multiple occasions.

• After the Greco-Persian wars, strict leader Pericles decides to construct the famous Parthenon • Designed as a monumental temple to the goddess, it is not dedicated to the cult of Athena • Serves two Athenian objectives: visual symbol of power and prosperity, and storage for Delian League treasures • A statue of Athena Parthenos serves as a gift whose metal could be molded in absolute need

Construction of the Parthenon barely finishes when the Peloponnesian War breaks out. The game shows many buildings in process of construction, like the Temple of Athena Nike with scaffoldings, compromising between showing architectural greatness and historical accuracy that certain buildings were still under construction at the time.

Mycenae is an ancient city lying in ruins for centuries, at the heart of Mycenaean civilisation that disappeared approximately in the 12th century BC, well before the Peloponnesian War. The city was a prosperous civilisation often seen as Greeks' ancestor.

• The probable grave of king Agamemnon, the Greek hero of the Trojan War who led the storm of Troy, is located at Mycenae • Mycenae is supposedly founded by Greek hero Perseus, who killed the famous Medusa, whom players can encounter in the game • Numerous royal graves create a truly mystic environment interesting for both players and game developers

Medusa never existed and the Trojan War never happened. Although some heroes really existed and were glorified in war staging, the largest part of Homeric stories belongs to mythology. King Agamemnon indeed existed and left his trace in history, though mythological elements dominate the narrative.

Assassin's Creed relies on mythology which in Greek narrative is often mixed with history. The game's title 'Odyssey' is a direct reference to Homer and his myths, representing an intentional attempt to show romanticized history. The goal is not to match-up history and mythology but to have hidden mysteries in specific places like Mycenaean ruins.

Epidaurus is one of the most loyal Sparta's allies in the Peloponnesian League. The game character is a descendant of the famous Lacedaemonian king Leonidas, making it important to visit this stronghold of the Peloponnesian League.

• Home to the sanctuary of Asclepius, the god of Medicine, the most important sanctuary of this deity in ancient times • Thousands of Greeks from all towns of the region used to come here hoping to meet talented doctors • Became the centre of sport activities with access to sport equipment • Featured a famous local theatre providing rich cultural life

In the context of the Peloponnesian War, Epidaurus is known for providing naval support. Years into the war when Sparta had no triremes and could not confront Athens at sea, Sparta's allies Corinth and Epidaurus provide boats capable of fighting against the Delian League.

The reputation of Epidaurus as a medical center was so strong that it attracted visitors from across the region seeking healing. This established the city as a major cultural and economic hub beyond its military significance.

• Trireme is an excellent example of an ancient military boat that could take onboard about 200 crew members • Moved by the propulsion force from oars, the boat captain could sink enemies with help of a bronze front • Usually about 160 oars were present on board, with only a small squad of archers and soldiers • Designed for coast sailing with plain floor and small draft enabling navigation in shallow waters

Oars were not slaves but free citizens of the city getting salaries for this hard physical and uncomfortable work. The main attack technique consisted in finding the right aim, choosing a good angle, and asking oarsmen to row as fast as possible to cause maximum damage to enemy boats. In the game, burning arrows appear to set fire on enemy ships, but there is no historical proof this technique existed.

Sailors going into the sea on board these ships used to always take with them lucky pillows providing comfort for their posteriors. Without such pillows, sailors would not have been able to attain the speed necessary to successfully pierce enemy ships. Sitting in such a place is not really comfortable.

• Triremes cannot navigate well in large seas because they sink too easily due to wind • It was possible to cover long distances at moderate speed, with the main inconvenience being oars' dehydration • Each oar needed one litre of water per hour, so triremes were not equipped for huge stocks • In most cases they went to sea for not more than one day

Ubisoft has covered Crusades, Italian Renaissance, Nassau pirates, American and French revolutions, industrial progress in London, and Ptolemaic Egypt. Through Assassin's Creed Odyssey, the company touches again on a milestone period of history: the Peloponnesian War.

The game is not a book on history but rather a recreation of a historical world. Developers introduce adjustments to make the content more game-friendly, but the goal is to stimulate people's curiosity and make them find out more about these things.

The goal is to give players interest in historical characters and motivate them to travel. After playing the game, many people come to developers saying they would love to see the country. In this way, the game functions as tourism advertisement while appealing to players' curiosity and making them want to learn more.

The use of historical context will attract players' interest to this period. Adding history to entertainment is never inappropriate, and the game should be of interest to everybody for its educational and entertainment value combined.