Which of the following was the most costly impact of the peloponnesian war on athens? a. athens ceased to function as a distinct city state. b. athens was absorbed into the persian empire. c. athens lost its dominance in the greek world.*** d. athens was forced to share its position of dominance with sparta.*

The correct answer is C.

The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) was a conflict between the Delian League led by Athens and the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. This war brought a reshaping in  the power balance in the Greek world. Athens, which had been the most powerful city until that time, lost its power and ended up completely subjected to Sparta, which became the principal leading city in Ancient Greece. Moreover, Athens was economically destroyed too.