In reality Athenian democracy is a complete mockery of itself by not abiding by the ‘guidelines of democracy.’(i.e. for the people by the people). Although Athenian Democracy has its flaws it also has positives, during the time of democratic Athens, Athens was at its height of wealth, it was the most knowledgeable state in ancient Greece, Athens was the centre point of the time. Athenian democracy worked in many ways, with the extent of the voting systems Athens was able to vote quite accurately and thoroughly. At the time of democratic Athens a very influential figure took the chance of becoming a king in a democratic society, Pericles in some ways he achieved what he set out to do, Pericles had a great influence on the Athenian democracy, a great example of his influence is his funeral oration or his famed building programme.
It is said by Plutarch that Miltiades enjoyed the highest prestige from the battle, and this would have increased Athenian reputation among the Greek states (it is important to note that one factor of the formation of e empire was that the Ionian States chose Athens), and would thus have made them more inclined to choose Athens as the hegemon, and allowing them to create their empire. Pausanius also played an influential role in the formation of the Athenian Empire; however it was through his negative actions and behaviour that this came to be. Pausanius was the Spartan
Themistocles, Aristides and Kimon successively vied with each other in rebuilding the city. But Pericles surpassed them all. Pericles put the prosperity that accrued to Athens in the middle of the 5th century B.C. to good use by beautifying the city with monuments that would do credit to its fame. He wanted to make Athens an artistic and cultural as well as a political pan-Hellenic centre.
The Greco-Persian wars, the great struggle between the United Greek Poleis against the growing Persian Empire of the East. Sparta, one of the Major greek Polis was responsible to a great extent for the victory of the Greeks over the Persians. Sparta not only participated in several crucial battles of the war such as Thermopylae and Plataea, but also contributed to the Greek Political and cultural idea of unity. Along with the physical strength of the Spartan forces, their leadership at battles such as “Salamis” and “Plataea” allowed the Greeks to be victorious in the Greco-Persian Wars. The battle of Marathon, the first and instigating battle of the Persian wars of 490Bc, was fought and won by the forces of Athens and Plataeans, without the help of the Spartans.
The consequential rise of the Athenian Empire, however, was simultaneous with the development of its increasingly autocratic and aggressive attitude. The aftermath of this conflict therefore involved the Athenian worldview coming to resemble that which it had initially sought to repress. The Persian Wars are demonstrative of how external threats can promote unity and cohesion from within. The ease and aggression with which the Persians conquered the region of the Asia Minor during the sixth century BCE established them as the pre-eminent power in the ancient world, and therefore a threat to Greek autonomy. After King Cyrus of Persia overthrew the Median rulers in 550 BCE, the Persians successfully extended their realm in conquering Lydia (546 BCE), eventually pushing their boarders further eastward by crossing to the boarders of Macedonia in 513 BCE (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2012).
; Solon, the man who encouraged trade and the popular assembly’s ratification of laws, creating an oligarchic plutocratic democracy in 594 B.C.E. ; Peisistratus, a military hero helped kick the noble class out in 560 B.C.E. ; and Cleisthenes, who helped the popular assembly to be capable of making laws in 507 B.C.E. After these changes, Hellenistic Athens simply ended up with what we usually classify as a “limited democracy.” Sparta, however, remained constant with a diarchy; one king specialized in the military issues, while the other king ruled the nation. After the kings, the greatest amounts of powers were given to the Five Ephers.
Tough Love – Life in the Spartan Army The Spartan Army was the military force of Sparta, one of the leading city-states of ancient Greece. Sparta created one of the toughest and most disciplined armies in the world. Their soldiers were trained from being infants to be tough and obedient to their laws. Sparta enjoyed a period of supremacy after the Peloponnesian War until they met their first defeats against Iphicrates of Athens and Epaminondas of Thebes. The troops were citizens known as the Spartiates, the superior social class of Sparta; the others were the Helots, who were slaves and the Perioeci who were the upper-slave-class.
The best example of this would probably be during the Peloponnesian war when Athens used its navy to engage in hit and run tactics against its greatest rival, Sparta (Athens: Ancient Supercity) The other ideal that the lion represents is leadership, which is best personified by Pericles, who dominated Athens during its golden age. Pericles masterminded the construction of the Parthenon and brought the arts and sciences to whole new levels during his reign. Due to these amazing feats, Pericles is known as the greatest Athenian of all time. (Athens: Ancient
The Athenians came in from the center and from the sides as well. This strategy had worked and the Athenians had won victory. They marched back to Athens with pride, but were ready to defend Athens against the Persian’s cavalry. We commemorate the Athenian soldiers and leaders who helped Greece. They were so brave and knew they could do it, even though they were small compared to the Persians.
Athens is the best known polis of ancient Greece. The Athenian Empire was considered the most notable empire that brought forth great riches, economy, trade, literary movements, philosophical traditions, and also developed principles of government. The Athens had more land and a larger population than any other polis on the Greek mainland. In the eighth and seventh centuries B.C. the Athenians settled in Attica, which surrounded their city, rather than sending colonists abroad.