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{{Mediawiki:kindleoasis}}[[File:The Parthenon in Athens.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|The ruins of the Parthenon today.]]__NOTOC__The rise of Athens in the late 6th century and early 5th century BCE not only ushered in the Classical Age that , but it went on to influence not only the ancient world but also Europe European and Western culture in the millennia after its prominence. This rise occurred in large part due to its prominent location and control for thousands of key trading routes and leadership in the wars against Persia. While other Greek cities held more powerful armies, such as Sparta, it was Athens' leadership that proved attractive and helped pave the way for its influenceyears.

==Rise to Prominence==At around 508 BCE, Cleisthenes rose to power as a leader of Athens. He is typically credited with being the father of Athenian democracy. While Athenian democracy looks very different from our own democratic systems, his reforms gave more power to the common gentry.<ref>For more on this period of Cleisthenes' This rise occurred largely due to power, see: Fine, John Van Antwerp. 1983. ''The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History''. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Pr, pg. 122.</ref> Both the nobility its prominent location and common free citizens control of Athens were able to participate key trading routes and leadership in the city's government assembly. Common citizens were also able to be appointed to key government postswars against Persia. While one might assume these democratic style reforms led to the rise of power, the reality is Athens was already beginning to benefit from its control of key trade along the Mediterranean.<ref>For other Greek cities held more on Athens' maritime powerpowerful armies, see: Nijfsuch as Sparta, Onno van, and Fik Meijer. 2014. Athens''Trade, Transport leadership proved attractive and Society in helped pave the Ancient World a Sourcebook'', pg. 33.</ref> The region of Attica is not highly fertile, leading to Athens becoming a city highly dependent on way for its external links to colonies and tradeinfluence.

The bases of city wealth helped Athens ====Rise to use that wealth in subsequent events that were Prominence====At around 508 BCE, Cleisthenes rose to shape all power as a leader of the Greek worldAthens. Athens was involved in the rebellion in Ionia, along He is typically credited with being the coast father of Asia Minor, that saw the Greek cities revolt against their Persian overlordsAthenian democracy. These revolts were put down; howeverWhile Athenian democracy looks very different from our own democratic systems, Persia was agitated by Athens' support for the rebels. This led to Darius, the Achaemenid Persian king, to invade the Peloponnese peninsula to take revenge against Athens. In particular, the burning of Sardis by the Ionian rebels greatly upset the Persians, given that city's great wealth and importance his reforms gave more power to the Persianscommon gentry.<ref>For more on the Ionian revoltthis period of Cleisthenes' rise to power, see: Mac SweeneyFine, NaoíseJohn Van Antwerp. 20131983. ''Foundation Myths and Politics in The Ancient IoniaGreeks: A Critical History''. Cambridge Classical Studies, Mass. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University PressHarvard Univ. Pr, pg. 175122.</ref>Both the nobility and common free citizens of Athens could participate in the city's government assembly. Common citizens were also able to be appointed to key government posts.

The invasion then sparked what ultimately developed While one might assume these democratic style reforms led to be the Greco-Persian wars rise of power, the 5th century BCE, where reality is Athens played a leading role among the Greek city-states involved. The initial was already beginning to benefit from its control of this war in 492-490 went well for key trade along the PersiansMediterranean.<ref>For more on Athens' maritime power, see: Nijf, Onno van, as they destroyed the Greek city of Eretria and captured territory in the Cyclades and ThraceFik Meijer. 2014. However''Trade, at Transport and Society in the Battle of Marathon Ancient World a force of about 10,000 Athenians and Plataeans were able to defeat the PersiansSourcebook'', perhaps the first significant victory of the Greeks against the Persianspg. This created a setback for the Persians as they could not invade Greece for another 10 years33. </ref> The second invasion region of Greece by the Persian army and fleet was much largerAttica is not highly fertile, forcing leading to Athens becoming a city highly dependent on its external links to create alliances, in particular with Spartacolonies and trade. [[File:Greek-Persian_duel. Initially the jpg|300px|left|thumbnail|Greek hoplite and Persian force was successful at the battle warrior fighting]]The bases of city wealth helped Athens use that wealth in subsequent events to shape all of Thermopylae against the Greek alliesworlds. Athens was involved in the rebellion in Ionia, although possibly at great loss. After along the battle coast of PlataeaAsia Minor, that saw the Persians were defeated and were forced to retreat once againGreek cities revolt against their Persian overlords. From this point Athens and the Greek allies These revolts were on the offensive and this begins put down; however, Persia was agitated by Athens' leadership in an alliance that eventually formed support for the Delian leaguerebels. This led Darius, which continued the wars Achaemenid Persian king, to invade the Peloponnese peninsula to take revenge against Athens. In particular, the Ionian rebels' burning of Sardis greatly upset the Persians, mostly now in Egypt given that city's great wealth and Cyprusimportance to the Persians.<ref> For more on the Greco-Persian warsIonian revolt, see: Green Mac Sweeney, Peter, and Peter GreenNaoíse. 19962013. ''The Greco-Persian WarsFoundation Myths and Politics in Ancient Ionia''. BerkeleyCambridge Classical Studies. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University of California Press, pg. 175.</ref>

==Leader of The invasion then sparked what ultimately developed to be the Delian League==[[File:2000px-Map Greco-Persian Warswars of the 5th century BCE, where Athens played a leading role among the Greek city-enstates involved.svg.png|thumbnail|Figure 1. Cities (The initial beginning of this war in blue) that fought against 492-490 went well for the Persians and formed members of , as they destroyed the Delian League.]]The excuse that the threat Greek city of Persia gave Eretria and Athens' wealth proved to be key captured territory in Athens consolidating power within the Delian league (Figure 1)Cyclades and Thrace. This led to strife within the leagueHowever, as at the Greek cities began to revolt against Athens increased consolidation Battle of power. Under the Athenian PericlesMarathon, about 10, the 000 Athenians moved and Plataeans were able to defeat the treasury of Persians, perhaps the league to Athens. The city also continued to consolidate and take monetary resources, increasing its wealth and power. The cities and regions that followed Athens essentially formed an empire under AthensGreeks' leadership by first significant victory against the 450sPersians. In fact, in 460 BCE, tensions were high and This created a setback for the Peloponnesian Wars began Persians as rebellions of Greek cities against Athenian hegemonythey could not invade Greece for another 10 years. The Athenians were initially successful in taking control much second invasion of Greece by the Peloponnese peninsula. HoweverPersian army and fleet was much larger, costly wars against the Persians eventually led forcing Athens to make peace create alliances, particularly with Persia, although they had lost many men and spent much of their wealth in being defeated in EgyptSparta.

Athenian brutality Initially, the Persian force was successful at Thermopylae's battle against not only those cities that revolted but also regions that were neutralthe Greek allies, such as Melosalthough possibly at a great loss. After the battle of Plataea, created further animosity with now Sparta beginning the Persians were defeated and were forced to take control of an alliance of cities against retreat once again. From this point, Athens. While and the Athenians continued to gain power by expanding and creating colonies that Greek allies were dependent on them, the Spartans began to consolidate power and even allied with the Persians as a way to counteract Athenian controloffensive. Sparta then This begins Athens' leadership in an alliance that eventually formed its own league, called the Peloponnesian Delian League, that included Corinth and other prominent cities. Nevertheless, Athens maintained its naval and trade supremacywhich continued the wars against the Persians, enabling it to not only win key battles but also its wealth that fueled its ability to keep its allies and armies able to control large areas mostly in Greece Egypt and beyond, including on the Western coast of AnatoliaCyprus.<ref>For more on the Delian LeagueGreco-Persian wars, see: FineGreen, John Van AntwerpPeter, and Peter Green. 19831996. ''The Ancient Greeks: A Critical HistoryGreco-Persian Wars''. Cambridge, Mass.Berkeley: Harvard Univ. PrUniversity of California Press.</ref>

==Stagnation==Leader of the Delian League====[[File:Lawrence_Alma2000px-Map Greco-Tadema_Persian Wars-_Phidias_Showing_the_Frieze_of_the_Parthenon_to_his_Friendsen.svg.jpgpng|thumbnail|300px275px|Phidias Showing left|Figure 1. Cities (in blue) that fought against the Frieze Persians and formed members of the Parthenon to Pericles and friends, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1868Delian League.]]A significant blow to Athens was a plague The excuse that broke out in 430 BCE that ultimately not only killed many of its soldiers Persia's threat gave and naval personnel but its key leaders such as Pericles.<ref>For more on this plague, see: Kagan, Donald. 1998. ''Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy. New York: Free Press'', pg. 249. </ref> However, Athens was soon re-energized with new leadership in the form of Cleon, who now took the war to the Spartan-led alliance. He was successful in defeating Sparta at the battle of Sphacteria, but once again this victory wealth proved to be short-lived. Cleon was soon killed key in battle and a peace was then signed between Athens consolidating power within the warring sidesDelian league (Figure 1). Eventually a new war broke out and this time This led to strife within the war was fought in Sicilyleague, as the Greek cities began to revolt against Athens tried to expand its influence there's increased power consolidation. While once again initially finding some success by having some cities join themUnder the Athenian Pericles, Syracuse led the effort against Athenians moved the treasury of the league to Athens and allied itself with Sparta. The Spartans reacted by sending a force city also continued to Sicilyconsolidate and take monetary resources, where after a series of battles resoundingly defeated Athensincreasing its wealth and power.<ref> For more on the battles of Cleon The cities and regions that followed Athens against Sparta, see: Pritchard, David, ed. 2010. ''War, Democracy and Culture in Classical essentially formed an empire under Athens''. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, pg. 83leadership by the 450s.</ref>

Although severely weakenedIn fact, the Athenians held a large reserve of naval forces it could still use. By 406 in 460 BCE, a series of naval tensions were high, and land victories once again led to a reinvigorated the Peloponnesian Wars began as Greek cities' rebellions against Athenian Empirehegemony. At another naval engagement in 406, the The Athenians won a major victory; however, a severe storm led to them loosing some of their fleet. For this loss, some of their naval leaders were executed, resulting initially successful in a further depletion taking control of their strength. Lysander, a new Spartan general, arose and he took advantage much of this loss in leadership by forcing battle in the HellespontPeloponnese peninsula. However, where costly wars against the Athenians were defeated and much of their army destroyed. Persians eventually led Athens was now trapped, as it did not have a significant army and the city now was directly attacked by Sparta. With the city under siege, it was forced to surrendermake peace with Persia, leading to the total loss of power for Athens although they had lost many men and the fall spent much of its great empire.<ref> For more on the last phases of the war against Sparta, see: Powell, Anton. 2016. ''Athens and Sparta: Constructing Greek Political and Social History from 478 BC. Third edition''. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledgetheir wealth in being defeated in Egypt.</ref>

==Conclusion Athenian brutality against those cities that revolted and Impact==While Athens did recover in the decades to comeneutral regions, Athens and the Greek city-states were never able to recover their full power and continued their internal wars in the Corinthian conflict in the early 4th century BCE. This paved the rise of the Macedonians under Philip II and eventually Alexander the Great, who ultimately united the Greeks under their leadership. While the rise of the Macedonians meant that the Athenians never regained centralized power once again such as they had in the 5th century BCEMelos, they were created further animosity with now part Sparta beginning to take control of much larger political entities, first under the leadership an alliance of the Macedonians and later under Rome. cities against Athens became renown as not just for its democratic system, which lasted for over 100 years, but also as a place for scholars and philosophers. From While the time of Pericles, philosophers and scholars alike traveled Athenians continued to Athens from throughout the Greek world to study under Athens patronage. The famous Platonic school gain power by expanding and creating colonies dependent on them, the Lyceum were two institutions of learning that became famous within Athens and helped Spartans began to shape Western though. Famous philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, consolidate power and Socrates were all associated even allied with Athens at some point in their lives. The Parthenon (Figure 2) and Acropolis became inspirations for architecture in the Classical Age and Western Enlightenment in the late 17th and 18th centuries, when Greek thought became influential once morePersians to counteract Athenian control. Among relatively few citiesSparta then formed its own league, Athens was given called the status of a free cityPeloponnesian League, where its schools which included Corinth and institutions continued to thrive in the Roman period. This insured that Athens continued to be influential despite its lost political and economic power.<ref> For more on Athens' impact, see: Waterfield, Robin. 2004. ''Athens: A History, from Ancient Ideal to Modern City''. New York, NY: Basic Booksother prominent cities.</ref>

Nevertheless, Athens maintained its naval and trade supremacy, enabling it to not only win key battles but also its wealth that fueled its ability to keep its allies and armies able to control large areas in Greece and beyond, including on the Western coast of Anatolia.<ref>For more on the Delian League, see: Fine, John Van Antwerp. 1983. ''The Ancient Greeks: A Critical History''. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Pr.</ref> <dh-ad/> ====Stagnation====[[File:Lawrence_Alma-Tadema_-_Phidias_Showing_the_Frieze_of_the_Parthenon_to_his_Friends.jpg|thumbnail|left|360px|Phidias Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to Pericles and friends, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, 1868]]A significant blow to Athens was a plague that broke out in 430 BCE that ultimately not only killed many of its soldiers and naval personnel but its key leaders such as Pericles.<ref>For more on this plague, see: Kagan, Donald. 1998. ''Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy. New York: Free Press'', pg. 249. </ref> However, Athens was soon re-energized with new leadership in Cleon, who now took the war to the Spartan-led alliance. He successfully defeated Sparta at the Battle of Sphacteria, but this victory proved to be short-lived once again. Cleon was soon killed in battle, and peace was then signed between the warring sides.  Eventually, a new war broke out, and this time the war was fought in Sicily, as Athens tried to expand its influence there. While once again initially finding some success by having some cities join them, Syracuse led the effort against Athens and allied itself with Sparta. The Spartans reacted by sending a force to Sicily, where a series of battles resoundingly defeated Athens.<ref> For more on Cleon and Athens's battles against Sparta, see Pritchard, David, ed. 2010. ''War, Democracy and Culture in Classical Athens''. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, pg. 83.</ref> Although severely weakened, the Athenians held a large reserve of naval forces it could still use. By 406 BCE, a series of naval and land victories once again led to a reinvigorated Athenian Empire. At another naval engagement in 406, the Athenians won a major victory; however, a severe storm led to losing some of their fleet. For this loss, some of their naval leaders were executed, resulting in further depletion of their strength.  Lysander, a new Spartan general, arose. He took advantage of this loss in leadership by forcing battle in the Hellespont, where the Athenians were defeated and destroyed much of their army. Athens was now trapped, as it did not have a significant army, and the city now was directly attacked by Sparta. With the city under siege, it was forced to surrender, leading to the total loss of power for Athens and its great empire's fall.<ref> For more on the last phases of the war against Sparta, see: Powell, Anton. 2016. ''Athens and Sparta: Constructing Greek Political and Social History from 478 BC. Third edition''. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.</ref> ====Conclusion and Impact====While Athens did recover in the decades to come, Athens and the Greek city-states could never recover their full power and continued their internal wars in the Corinthian conflict in the early 4th century BCE. This paved the rise of the Macedonians under Philip II and Alexander the Great, who ultimately united the Greeks under their leadership. While the rise of the Macedonians meant that the Athenians never regained centralized power once again as they had in the 5th century BCE, they were now part of much larger political entities, first under the leadership of the Macedonians and later under Rome.  Athens became renowned not just for its democratic system, which lasted for over 100 years, but also for scholars and philosophers. From Pericles's time, philosophers and scholars alike traveled to Athens from throughout the Greek world to study under Athens patronage. The famous Platonic school and the Lyceum were two institutions of learning that became famous within Athens and helped shape Western thinking. Famous philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates were all associated with Athens at some point in their lives.  The Parthenon (Figure 2) and Acropolis became inspirations for architecture in the Classical Age and Western Enlightenment in the late 17th and 18th centuries when Greek thought became influential once more. Among relatively few cities, Athens was given a free city, where its schools and institutions continued to thrive in the Roman period. This ensured that Athens continued to be influential despite its lost political and economic power.<ref> For more on Athens' impact, see: Waterfield, Robin. 2004. ''Athens: A History, from Ancient Ideal to Modern City''. New York, NY: Basic Books.</ref> <youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar8S6virCwM</youtube> <div class="portal" style="width:85%;">====Related DailyHistory.org Articles====*[[How did the Silk Road develop?]]*[[What were the causes of the Peloponnesian War?]]*[[When was Insurance First Used?]]*[[How did Early Empires facilitate the Rise of Investment Banking?]]*[[What was the impact of the defeat of the Sicilian Expedition on Athens?]]</div> ====References====