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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 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 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.

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.__NOTOC__====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' 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]]The bases of city wealth helped Athens to use that wealth in subsequent events that were to shape all of the Greek world. Athens was involved in the rebellion in Ionia, along the coast of Asia Minor, that saw the Greek cities revolt against their Persian overlords. These revolts were put down; however, 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 to the Persians.<ref>For more on the Ionian revolt, see: Mac Sweeney, Naoíse. 2013. ''Foundation Myths and Politics in Ancient Ionia''. Cambridge Classical Studies. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, pg. 175.</ref>

At around 508 The invasion then sparked what ultimately developed to be the Greco-Persian wars of the 5th century BCE, Cleisthenes rose to power as where Athens played a leader leading role among the Greek city-states involved. The initial beginning of Athens. He is typically credited with being this war in 492-490 went well for the father of Athenian democracy. While Athenian democracy looks very different from our own democratic systemsPersians, his reforms gave more power to as they destroyed the common gentry. Both the nobility Greek city of Eretria and common free citizens of Athens were able to participate captured territory in the city's government assemblyCyclades and Thrace. Common citizens However, at the Battle of Marathon a force of about 10,000 Athenians and Plataeans were also able to be appointed to key government posts. While one might assume these democratic style reforms led to defeat the rise of powerPersians, perhaps the reality is Athens was already beginning to benefit from its control first significant victory of key trade along the MediterraneanGreeks against the Persians. This created a setback for the Persians as they could not invade Greece for another 10 years. The region second invasion of Attica is not highly fertileGreece by the Persian army and fleet was much larger, leading to forcing Athens becoming a city highly dependent on its external links to colonies and tradecreate alliances, in particular with Sparta.

The bases of city wealth helped Athens to use that wealth in subsequent events that were to shape all Initially the Persian force was successful at the battle of Thermopylae against the Greek worldallies, although possibly at great loss. Athens was involved in After the rebellion in Ioniabattle of Plataea, along the coast of Asia Minor, that saw Persians were defeated and were forced to retreat once again. From this point Athens and the Greek cities revolt against their Persian overlords. These revolts allies were put down; however, Persia was agitated by on the offensive and this begins Athens' support for the rebels. This led to Darius, leadership in an alliance that eventually formed the Achaemenid Persian kingDelian league, to invade which continued the Peloponnese peninsula to take revenge wars against Athens. In particular, the burning of Sardis by the Ionian rebels greatly upset the Persians, given that city's great wealth mostly now in Egypt and importance to Cyprus.<ref> For more on the PersiansGreco-Persian wars, see: Green, Peter, and Peter Green. 1996. ''The Greco-Persian Wars''. Berkeley: University of California Press. </ref>

The invasion then sparked what ultimately developed to be ====Leader of the Delian League====[[File:2000px-Map Greco-Persian wars of the 5th century BCE, where Athens played a leading role among the Greek cityWars-states involveden.svg. The initial beginning of this war png|thumbnail|275px|left|Figure 1. Cities (in 492-490 went well for blue) that fought against the Persians, as they destroyed and formed members of the Delian League.]]The excuse that the Greek city threat of Eretria Persia gave and captured territory Athens' wealth proved to be key in Athens consolidating power within the Cyclades and ThraceDelian league (Figure 1). However, at the Battle of Marathon a force of about 10,000 Athenians and Plataeans were able This led to defeat strife within the Persiansleague, perhaps as the first significant victory Greek cities began to revolt against Athens increased consolidation of power. Under the Greeks against Athenian Pericles, the Persians. This created a setback for Athenians moved the Persians as they could not invade Greece for another 10 years. The second invasion treasury of Greece by the Persian army and fleet was much larger, forcing league to Athens . The city also continued to create alliancesconsolidate and take monetary resources, in particular with Spartaincreasing its wealth and power. Initially The cities and regions that followed Athens essentially formed an empire under Athens' leadership by the Persian force was successful at the battle of Thermopylae against the Greek allies450s. In fact, although possibly at great loss. After the battle of Plataeain 460 BCE, the Persians tensions were defeated and were forced to retreat once again. From this point Athens high and the Peloponnesian Wars began as rebellions of Greek allies cities against Athenian hegemony. The Athenians were on the offensive and this begins Athens' leadership initially successful in an alliance that eventually formed taking control much of the Delian leaguePeloponnese peninsula. However, which continued the costly wars against the Persianseventually led Athens to make peace with Persia, mostly now although they had lost many men and spent much of their wealth in being defeated in Egypt and Cyprus.

==Leader 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>

====Stagnation====[[File:2000pxLawrence_Alma-Map GrecoTadema_-Persian Wars-en_Phidias_Showing_the_Frieze_of_the_Parthenon_to_his_Friends.svg.pngjpg|thumbnail|Figure 1left|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. Cities (<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 blue) that 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 proved to be short-lived. Cleon was soon killed in battle and a 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 the Persians Athens and formed members allied itself with Sparta. The Spartans reacted by sending a force to Sicily, where after a series of battles resoundingly defeated Athens.<ref> For more on the Delian Leaguebattles of Cleon and Athens against Sparta, see: Pritchard, David, ed. 2010. ''War, Democracy and Culture in Classical Athens''. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press, pg. 83.]]</ref>

A significant blow to ====Conclusion and Impact====While Athens was a plague that broke out did recover in 430 BCE that ultimately not only killed many of its soldiers and naval personnel but its key leaders such as Pericles. Howeverthe decades to come, Athens was soon reand the Greek city-energized with new leadership states were never able to recover their full power and continued their internal wars in the Corinthian conflict in the form early 4th century BCE. This paved the rise of Cleonthe Macedonians under Philip II and eventually Alexander the Great, who now took ultimately united the war to the Spartan-led allianceGreeks under their leadership. He was successful in defeating Sparta at While the battle rise of Sphacteria, but the Macedonians meant that the Athenians never regained centralized power once again this victory proved to be short-lived. Cleon was soon killed as they had in battle and a peace was then signed between the warring sides. Eventually a new war broke out and this time the war was fought in Sicily5th century BCE, as Athens tried to expand its influence there. While once again initially finding some success by having some cities join themthey were now part of much larger political entities, Syracuse led first under the leadership of the effort against Athens Macedonians and allied itself with Sparta. The Spartans reacted by sending a force to Sicily, where after a series of battles resoundingly defeated Athenslater under Rome.

Although severely weakenedAthens became renown not just for its democratic system, which lasted for over 100 years, but also as a place for scholars and philosophers. From the Athenians held a large reserve time of naval forces it could still use. By 406 BCEPericles, a series of naval philosophers and land victories once again led scholars alike traveled to Athens from throughout the Greek world to a reinvigorated Athenian Empirestudy under Athens patronage. At another naval engagement in 406, The famous Platonic school and the Athenians won a major victory; however, a severe storm led Lyceum were two institutions of learning that became famous within Athens and helped to them loosing some of their fleetshape Western though. For this lossFamous philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates were all associated with Athens at some of their naval leaders were executed, resulting point in a further depletion of their strengthlives. Lysander, a new Spartan general, arose The Parthenon (Figure 2) and he took advantage of this loss Acropolis became inspirations for architecture in leadership by forcing battle the Classical Age and Western Enlightenment in the Hellespontlate 17th and 18th centuries, when Greek thought became influential once more. Among relatively few cities, Athens was given the status of a free city, where its schools and institutions continued to thrive in the Athenians were defeated Roman period. This insured that Athens continued to be influential despite its lost political and much of their army destroyedeconomic power. <ref> For more on Athens was now trapped' impact, see: Waterfield, as it did not have a significant army and the city now was directly attacked by SpartaRobin. 2004. With the city under siege''Athens: A History, it was forced from Ancient Ideal to surrenderModern City''. New York, leading to the total loss of power for Athens and the fall of its great empireNY: Basic Books.</ref>

<div class="portal" style="width:85%;">====Related DailyHistory.org Articles==Conclusion and Impact==While Athens *[[How did recover in the decades to come, Athens and the Greek city-states Silk Road develop?]]*[[What 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 causes of the Macedonians under Philip II and eventually Alexander the Great, who ultimately united the Greeks under their leadership. While Peloponnesian War?]]*[[When was Insurance First Used?]]*[[How did Early Empires facilitate the rise Rise of Investment Banking?]]*[[What was the Macedonians meant that the Athenians never regained centralized power once again as they had in the 5th century BCE, they were now part impact of much larger political entities, first under the leadership defeat of the Macedonians and later under Rome. Sicilian Expedition on 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 the time of Pericles, 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 to shape Western though. 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 the status of a free city, where its schools and institutions continued to thrive in the Roman period. This insured that Athens continued to be influential despite its lost political and economic power.?]]</div>

[[File:The Parthenon in Athens.jpg|thumbnail|The ruins of the Parthenon today.]] ====References====

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