Associate Professor of Classics William Bubelis presented a paper this spring at the 2026 annual meeting of the Society for Military History, held in Arlington, Virginia. His paper, entitled “After Aigospotamoi: Spartan Maritime Power and the Sacred Wealth of Delos,” was delivered as part of a panel on the Administration of the Spartan Navy. 

In his paper, Bubelis presented the case that even after its victory in the Peloponnesian War Sparta intended to maintain a large and costly navy, contrary to the modern consensus as well as to the silence of our ancient sources.  The argument hinges on an inscription from Delos, sacred home of Apollo and his vast treasure, that bears, in effect, a promise by Sparta not to despoil that treasure.  The inscription, which bears Delian and Spartan texts, would not have been necessary if the Delians did not have reason to fear Spartan seizure of Apollo’s wealth for its navy.

The Society for Military History’s annual conference brings together scholars from around the world working across periods and disciplines to explore warfare, military institutions, and their broader social and political implications.

Professor Bubelis is Associate Professor of Classics, where he is also Curator of the John Max Wulfing Collection of Ancient Coins and Affiliate Faculty in History. He received his PhD from the University of Chicago, and his research broadly investigates the intersection of economics, religion, and the state in the ancient Mediterranean world, particularly in Greek history. His scholarly interests include Greek history and epigraphy, economic history and numismatics, ancient religion, and the political economy of the ancient Near East. 

The Department of Classics congratulates Professor Bubelis on a successful presentation and is pleased to see his research reaching audiences across disciplinary boundaries.