Classical Period 479-323 B.C.
The end of the Persian Wars marked the beginning of the Classical period. Athens
reached its greatest political and cultural heights culminating in the full development of
the democratic system of government under the Athenian statesman Pericles.
The 5th Century
This century saw two key conflicts, the first between Athens and
Sparta, culminating in the Peloponnesian Wars, the second between the Carthaginians and
the Greeks in Sicily and Italy...
As a result of its leadership in the Persian wars and the increasing importance
of seapower, Athens became the most influential state in Greece. The period of Athenian
domination during the 5th century B.C. has become known as the golden age of Athens.
Pericles, who became leader of the popular party and head of the state in 460 B.C. is
remembered as the focal point of this era..
Sparta, because of its focus on the army, lost its prestige to the Athenian
fleet. Thus Athens lead the Delian League, which was created to drive the Persians
from the Greek cities and coastal islands of Asia Minor. Soon Athens began to exert
its power over the other members of the league, even demanding tribute. A league between
the cities of the Peloponnesus had existed since about 550 B.C.,under the domination of
Sparta, and the Peloponnesian League began to oppose Athens' dominance.
In 431 B.C. the inevitable clash between Athens and Sparta occurred, sparked by
Athenian aid to Corcyra during a dispute between Corcyra and Corinth, (Corinth was an ally
of Sparta) . The Peloponnesian War lasted until 404 B.C. and resulted in Spartan
domination of Greece. Spartan rule soon proved to be even harsher and more
oppressive than that of Athens. Sparta sponsored an oligarchy, known as the Thirty
Tyrants, to rule Athens and established similar ruling bodies in the cities and islands of
Asia Minor. In 403 B.C. the Athenians under Thrasybulus revolted, expelling the Spartan
garrison that had supported the oligarchs, and restored their democracy and independence.
Other Greek cities also began rebelling against the hegemony of Sparta, even seeking aid
from their traditional enemy, Persia.
The 4th Century
Athens, Corinth, Sparta and Thebes competed for political
dominance of Greece, culminating in the Corinthian War, the Battle of Leuctra, and the
Battle of Mantinea...
In 399 B.C. Sparta sent an army to Asia Minor to end the marauding activities of
Persia. Despite having some success there, the Spartan army was forced to return in
395 B.C. to oppose a coalition of Argos, Athens, Corinth, and Thebes. The resulting
conflict, known as the Corinthian War was mainly small-scale warfare, until 387 B.C., when
Sparta, allying itself with Persia, imposed the Peace of Antalcidas on its subject states.
The terms of the Persian-Spartan settlement, were that the entire west coast of Asia Minor
was ceded to Persia, and the city-states of Greece were made autonomous. Despite this
agreement, Sparta in 382 B.C. invaded Thebes and captured the city of Olynthus in the
north but they were expelled by the Theban general Pelopidas, supported by Athens three
years later.
War between Sparta and Athens in alliance with Thebes was resumed, ending with the
Battle of Leuctra, in 371 B.C.. In this battle the Thebans, led by Epaminondas,
completely defeated their enemies that Spartan domination came to an end. Because of this
victory, Thebes, became the leading Greek state. The other states resented the ascendancy
of Thebes and a period of civil unrest and economic decline resulted.
Athens, in particular, refused to submit to Theban supremacy and in 369 B.C. became an
ally of Sparta. Theban hegemony was dependent on the brilliant leadership of Epaminondas,
and when he was killed in the Battle of Mantinea in 362 bc, Thebes became just another
state among many.
Macedonian Supremacy
Philip II who became king of Macedonia (the northern neighbor of Greece, and akin to
the Hellenes) in 359 BC, was a great admirer of Greek civilization, but aware of its
greatest weakness, a lack of political unity. Immediately after he came to the
throne, Philip annexed the Greek colonies on the coast of Macedonia and Thrace, determined
to make himself master of the peninsula. He was successful in this goal despite the
opposition of many prominent Greek statesmen led by Demosthenes. By 338 B.C. he was
powerful enough to call a congress of the Greek states, where Macedonian supremacy
in the peninsula was acknowledge and Philip was appointed commander in chief of the Greek
forces.
A year later, a second congress declared war on Persia. Philip began to prepare for an
Asian campaign, but was assassinated in 336B.C. His son, Alexander, who was only 20 years
old, succeeded him. In 334 B.C. Alexander invaded Persia. During the next ten years, his
conquests created a Macedonian empire which spread extended Greek civilization, culture
and language as far east as northern India and as far south and west as Egypt. By the time
of Alexander's death in Babylon at the age of 32 in 323 B.C., the culture of Greece had
spread through most of the ancient world. His death marked the end of the Classical
period.
Key Cultural Events in the Classical Era
- the building of the Parthenon, the Erechtheum, the Propylaea on the Acropolis.
- the creation of the tragedies of Sophocles, Aeschylus and Euripides, era of the
comedy writer Aristophanes.
- founding of the philosophical schools of Socrates and Plato.
- Thucydides and Herodotus (an Ionian), became famous historians.
- payment for jury service, which allowed all citizens to serve.
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