The world in 421 BC — what happened that year

14 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.

What happened

Southern Europe (14)

• Olynthus attacked Mecyberna, where the Athenian garrison was stationed. (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 12.77.5)
• Cumae, then held by Greeks, is taken by the Campanians (Livy, History of Rome (Ab Urbe Condita) 4.44)
• Peace of Nicias: a 50-year treaty is concluded (including the return of Amphipolis) (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.18.3–5)
• Spartan envoys order the handover of Amphipolis, but Clearidas refuses, citing the Chalcidians' wishes (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.21.2)
• Sparta and Athens conclude a 50-year alliance, and Athens returns the prisoners from the island (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.23.1; 5.24.2)
• Corinth visits Argos and proposes an anti-Spartan alliance, and Argos elects a committee of twelve (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.28.1)
• Fearing Sparta, Mantinea is the first to join Argos (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.29.1)
• Athens takes Scione, executes the adult men, enslaves the women and children, and gives the land to the Plataeans (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.32.1)
• Sparta frees the Parrhasians from Mantinea and demolishes the fort of Cypsela (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.33.3)
• Sparta frees the helots who fought with Brasidas and settles them with the new citizens at Lepreum (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 5.34.1)

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