Aphrodisa of Cyprus

Aphrodisa during the Peloponnesian war

The Peloponnesian War had started in 431. It seemed that Athenians could win because of how they followed up with their plans, and how they used their supplies. The Athenians also did not take the Spartan's bait to fight on land at first, and fought them primarily with their strong naval forces. This put them ahead because Athens were stronger at fighting at sea. In 430, the plague came to Athens that killed a third of their population. Because Aphrodisa felt sympathy for them, she had decided to take her medical expertise over to Athens. Athenaii helped Aphrodisa treat those who had gotten sick during this plague. Aphrodisa knew that is was a risk that she might get sick herself but she felt like she had to take the risk. Sparta attacked Athenian mines, which cut off their trading while they were vulnerable.

The second part of the war started in 421, and the Spartan army had to go to Sicily. Mantu had to say goodbye to his wife Aphrodisa and their newborn daughter, Eris, because he had to go fight. The name Eris came from the goddess of war, chaos, and strife. He promised that he would come back safely to them. Athens and Sparta fought alongside their allies in Sicily. The Athenian allies during this fight were soldiers from both Greek and non-Greek city states, and the Spartan allies were the Persians. Despite having these allies as part of their military, Athens was still defeated during this fight.

The third and last part of the war started in 413. The Spartans learned to fight better at sea in order to defeat Athens, and the Persians continued to help Sparta. In the year 406 during the Battle of Notium, thanks to Mantu, the Spartans had a victory. The Spartans then cut off Athens ability to feed themselves. Aphrodisa struggled with staying loyal to the Spartans because she had a big heart and wanted to help and save everyone. She is conflicted though, because her husband is a soldier for the Spartan army. With Aphrodisa trying to help Athens and other city-states in Greece that oppose the Spartans, she is technically working against her husband.

Finally, it is now 404 and the fighting between the Delian League and the Peloponnesian League has been brought to an end because Athens surrendered. Aphrodisa has been treating the wounded soldiers during the war while her husband, Mantu, was fighting. Their house burnt to the ground by the Athens and now they are staying with Athenaii for shelter. Athenaii is a good friend to Aphrodisa, she has been there for Aphrodisa and her family during the struggles of the Peloponnesian war. Even though Aphrodisa has lost so much because of the war, at least she has her friends and family to support her. Aphrodisa would be lost without her husband, her daughter, and Athenaii.

Sparta took over the Athenian empire and kept all of its tribute revenues for itself, while everyone else got nothing. Mantu was rewarded with citizenship by the kings of Sparta though, for fighting in the Spartan army. With the war coming to an end, Aphrodisa focuses back on freeing other slaves and ending slavery. The slaves in Sparta were called Helots.

Slavery was a common practice in ancient Greece, as in other societies of the time. It wasn't based on skin color back then. Some ancient Greek writers considered slavery natural and even necessary. Most activities were open to slaves except politics, which was only reserved for citizens.

Aphrodisa is happy that she had freed herself, her family, and friends during the Greco-Persian war because of her efforts in treating the wounded soldiers. Now that the Peloponnesian War is over she really want to think bigger and help free more enslaved people. Mantu doesn't understand why she has so much compassion over people that are not Spartans and was mad at her when he found out that she tried to help the people of Athens during the Plague. As much as she loves her husband she feel like she should do what she feel is the right thing to do.

Some slaves ran away after the war ended. Aphrodisa started a program where she helped the slaves to escape in the city states that had slavery such as Sparta and Athens. She used that opportunity to start her fight against slavery. The people that were in power in Athens at this time were the "Thirty Tyrants." The Thirty Tyrants were a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE. They were elected as a government, not just a legislative committee. Their reign resulted in the killing of 5% of the Athenian population, the confiscation of citizens property, and the exile of other democratic supporters. The two leading members were Critias and Theramenes and they were cruel and oppressed the Athenian people. Their reign lasted for eight months.

Aphrodisa tried to fight their oppression with the Athenians because she felt that it wasn't right and that they shouldn't be treated like that. Mantu didn't like what Aphrodisa was doing and they fought about it because she is supposed to be on the side of the Spartans. Eris is now reaching adulthood and would be married away but everyone knows that she is Aphrodisa's daughter and because of the trouble her mother was making, made things hard for anyone wanting to marry Eris. Eris is half Egyptian and half Greek so she won't be as dark skin as her father Mantu. She would be light dark skin with beautiful long black hair. Like her mother, Aphrodisa she would be considered very beautiful that any man would fall in love with.

In Sparta, girls had to be 18 to get married so they could bare healthy children. Men were expected to get married when they are 30. During the time before they turn 30 they can explore same sex relations with their mentors. When they turn 30, they are expected to get married and start a family.

Aphrodisa kept fighting for the end of slavery until 338 BC when King Philip II, the father of the future Alexander the Great of Macedon defeated Athens and Thebes at the Battle of Chaeronea and established the League of Corinth during the winter of that year.