Transcript Athens* Age of Glory - St. Anne`s School (Garden City)

Athens’ Age of Glory
Lesson 3
The Big Picture

In 499BC Greece went to war with Persia

Understanding the importance of sea power, Athenians built a naval
fleet

Over the next 20 years they joined forces with Sparta and other citystates
 Together
they defeated the Persians
 Many
Greek colonies were still in danger of Persian attack
 Some
colonies began paying money to Athens for protection. This made Athens
rich
 This
age of wealth and great achievement is known as the “Golden Age”
Walk Through Athens

The Acropolis was high above the city (this was the religious center of
Athens)

New building displayed the city’s new wealth and power

At their center rose a temple to honor the goddess Athena. This is
known as the Parthenon.
 The
temple can be seen from anywhere in the city
 About
100,000 people lived in Athens making it the largest city
Activity in the Agora

Many had come to do business at the Agora

There were students, lawyers, shopkeepers, that worked in the market
or government buildings

In the corner of the agora, was the city’s “bulletin board”. This is where
people could post messages about matters that are being voted on

Merchants sold perfume, vegetables, and clothing or offered haircuts

In workshops, potters crafter pots and bowls
Athenian Government

Early 400 B.C a small council of powerful citizens made all of the cities
decisions

Later on, the councils powers had been taken over by an assembly
 Assembly The

is a lawmaking body of a government
assembly voted on issue that helped shape the future of the city
No women or enslaved men had a say in the government (they were not
considered citizens- they could not own land)
A Great Statesman

Pericles was an Athenian leader- the government was a democracy

Pericles made sure poor as well as rich citizens could take part in the
government

Citizen served on the assembly and sat on juries
 Jury- is a group of citizens chosen to hear evidence and make decisions in a
court of law
 Citizens
were paid when they served on the jury. This allowed farmers and
other poor citizen could afford to take time off of work to be involved in the
government
Philosophy in Athens

Socrates was a famous philosopher

He led discussions about the right way to live

He taught philosophy ( the search for wisdom or the right way to live)

They discussed what makes the best kind of government and what it
means to be a good citizen

Shortly before 400 B.C Socrates began questioning Athenian values (such
as laws), customs and religion

It made some Athenians angry that someone would question the polis.
He was put on trial and sentenced to death

His teaching were written down by his student Plato ( who also became
a famous philosopher)
War and Conflict
 The
Golden age of Athens did not last forever
 Sparta
 They
and other city- states became jealous of Athens
formed the Peloponnesian League
 This
became known as the Peloponnesian War
Battles on land and Sea

The wars began with an attack from the Spartan army

Pericles knew that his army was no match for Sparta
 He
said that all people living outside the cities wall move inside the cities
surrounding wall. This was used as protection
 Sparta's
army destroyed the farmland around Athens
 Athenians
did not starve because they controlled the Aegean sea. Ships were
able to bring in grain from other areas

Because Athens had such a strong navy, they were able to win the
battles in the sea. Sparta won many battle's on land.

A terrible disease swept through Athens. At least 1/3 of the population
died (so did Pericles)
A Final Blow

In 404 B.C Sparta was able to cut off Athens grain supply from the Black
Sea
 Starving
Athenians surrendered
The End of the Golden Age

Following the Peloponnesian wars, Sparta was in control of the Polis.
This was short lived

These unsettled times would leave Greece open to threats from a new
power to the north