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=====Rise to Prominence====
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[[File:The Parthenon in Athens.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|The ruins of the Parthenon today.]]
The rise of Athens in the late 6th century and early 5th century BCE not only ushered in the Classical Age, but it went on to influence European and Western culture for for thousands of years. This rise occurred in large part due to its prominent location and control 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 influence.
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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' rise 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 and common free citizens of Athens were able to participate in the city's government assembly. Common citizens were also able to be appointed to key government posts. 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 more on Athens' maritime power, see: Nijf, Onno van, and Fik Meijer. 2014. ''Trade, Transport and Society in 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 its external links to colonies and trade.
[[File:Greek-Persian_duel.jpg|300px|left|thumbnail|Greek hoplite and Persian warrior fighting]]
Athenian brutality against not only those cities that revolted but also regions that were neutral, such as Melos, created further animosity with now Sparta beginning to take control of an alliance of cities against Athens. While the Athenians continued to gain power by expanding and creating colonies that were dependent on them, the Spartans began to consolidate power and even allied with the Persians as a way to counteract Athenian control. Sparta then formed its own league, called the Peloponnesian League, that included Corinth and other prominent cities. 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>
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====Stagnation====
