20. Discuss the cultural and architectural splendor of Athens as represented in the picture on page 197. Remember that some of these buildings were built with money from the Delian League. What might this fact say about Athenian arrogance? 21.
A History of Ancient Greece Legacy Author: Robert Guisepi Date: 1998 A Vital Legacy The final complexity in dealing with classical Greece (and then Rome) involves its relationship to us - to contemporary residents of North America. For most Americans, Greece constitutes the first phase of "our own" classical past. The framers of the Constitution of the United States were intensely conscious of Greek precedents. Designers of public buildings in the United States have dutifully copied Greek and Roman models. Plato and Aristotle continue to be thought of as founders of our philosophical tradition, skillful teachers still imitate the Socratic Method in seeking dialogues with students, and reliance on scientific methods of inquiry
Athens had an ever changing relationship with its allies during the period of 500- 440 BC from its alliance with the city states including Sparta during the Persian Wars to the formation of the Delian league and the establishment of Athens as an empire. The main source we have for this period is the work of Thucydides and his insights written in his work The Peloponnesian Wars. He describes the build up and the history behind the Peloponnesian Wars and the relations between the Greek city states focusing on Athens and Sparta. Thucydides writings are generally considered as an accurate and unbiased account of the Peloponnesian wars however other sources are needed to fill in the gaps in Thucydides writing. At the beginning of the period of interest, that is, the beginning of the 5th century Athens is one of the most powerful Greek city states attempting to gain support of other States.
Athenians had been in previous wars and as time progressed it was clear that Athens had to be rebuilt, as the reconstruction process proceeded the Athenian empire began to dominate their allies politically and economically. The Athenians started the Delian League which provided funds for Athens to build up its navy which allowed them to gain power. Meanwhile Sparta, who was a military leader of the Greek world, made their own treaties that reached out to the Peloponnesian with the exception of Argos and Achaea.Both
Thus, at least at its inception, Athens was willing to work within the League’s aims. It is significant because until cities were freed from the Persians, Athens could not have it empire! This cooperative spirit began to change with the conquest of Scyrus in 474-73BC. Plutarch states that Cimon captured Scyrus, in order to secure trade routes which passed there. Thus was economically sound, however, it is the first step towards Empire.
Greece, or otherwise known as the Hellenic Republic, was an empire located in the southern portion of Europe. The Greek empire lasted from the Archaic Period of the 8th to 6th centuries B.C. until the end of Antiquity (around 600 A.D.). Greece was a fierce, distinguished, and seemingly unstoppable republic, this being shown by the legacy of Alexander the Great who conquered from Central Asia, to the western end of the Mediterranean Sea, and promoted a Hellenistic way of life. The Greeks took the Phoenician alphabet and modified it to create the Greek alphabet during the Archaic Period.
This military strength helped Sparta defeat Athens and emerge victorious from the Peloponnesian War between 431-404 BC. However, this victory was at great cost. The subsequent defeat by Thebes in 371 BC Battle of Leuctra ended Sparta’s prominent role in Ancient Greece. Despite the loss of control, Sparta managed to maintain political independence until the Roman conquest of Greece in 146 BC. This led to a long period of decline for the once powerful Sparta.
Doing this Sparta and Athens won the war against the Persians, but ended up losing to Rome. Leonidas impacted our generation today by giving us entertainment, courage, and a basis for a need for a strong military. He lived from about 540 B.C. to August 11, 480 B.C. in the battle of Thermopylae.
Athens was in crisis. In order to resolve these problems they announced a new leader, Solon of Athens. He was a great Athenian statesman, lawyer and poet. Throughout his reign, he succeeded in political and economical reforms. Compared to other powerful leaders, Lycurgus of Sparta and Pericles of Athens, Solon was the mediator for Athens.
Large temples are constructed so they can be accessed from the front, sides, and rear. (See Figure 1) The city of Olympia is predominantly a “Classical” city. The century which followed the loss of Greek independence was a downward turn in the history of Olympia. The independence of the city state was vital to Olympia, and its loss resulted in the decline of competition and disinterest in the Olympic Games. Once the Roman conquest of Olympia had taken place, respect for their athletics had lessened also had the worship for the chief god Zeus.