The world in 425 BC — what happened that year

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

What happened

Nicias, unable to take the city because of the resistance of the Melians, withdrew to Oropus. (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 12.65.3)
Part of the Athenian army fled to Oropus and Delium. (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 12.70.4)
After the fort at Pylos is built, some four hundred Spartans are trapped on the island of Sphacteria (Plutarch's Parallel Lives Plut. Nicias 7)
Cleon, with Demosthenes, brings back the Spartans of Sphacteria as prisoners (Plutarch's Parallel Lives Plut. Nicias 8)
An eruption of Mount Etna burns the territory of Catana (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 3.116.1)
Ten Syracusan and ten Locrian ships take Messana at its people's invitation, and Messana breaks with Athens (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.1.1)
The Locrians invade and plunder Rhegium's territory with their whole army (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.1.3)
A Peloponnesian army under Agis invades Attica in spring and ravages the farmland (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.2.1)
Athens sends out 40 prepared ships to Sicily (commanders Eurymedon and Sophocles) (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.2.2)
When a storm drives the fleet into Pylos, Demosthenes argues for fortifying it (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 4.3.1)