How did Athens’s naval power differ from Sparta’s military strength during the Peloponnesian War?

During the Peloponnesian War, the military strategies of Athens and Sparta were defined by their respective strengths: Athens was the dominant sea power, while Sparta possessed the superior land army.12

• Athenian Naval Power: Athens utilized its powerful fleet to maintain its empire, secure tribute, and harass the coasts and shipping of its enemies. Because the city was strongly fortified, the Athenians were able to withstand repeated land invasions by remaining behind their walls and relying on their navy to sustain them. Their strategy, initially championed by Pericles, focused on defensive endurance and utilizing their significant financial reserves to fund the war effort.123
• Spartan Military Strength: Sparta led the Peloponnesian League, which included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece. Their primary objective was to dismantle the Athenian empire to liberate Greece from what they viewed as Athenian tyranny. While they were consistently stronger on land, they struggled to overcome Athens's naval dominance and fortifications until they eventually secured Persian aid to build a fleet capable of defeating the Athenian navy at Aegospotami.231