classical athens

Events

foundation of athenian democracy

508 BCE

cleisthenes creates demokratia to represent the people
just the free adult males though

persian wars

490 BCE - 479 BCE

persians invade twice
athens defeats them both times
creates a sense of unity and liberty
strengthens athenian naval and military power

athenian empire

479 BCE - 430 BCE

military, intellectual, political, and cultural dominance
justified its empire by saying they secured greece and are superior
sparks tension with other city-states

pelopennesian war

431 BCE - 404 BCE

smaller city-states convince sparta, a powerful polis, to declare war
sparta defeats athens
athenian democracy is weakened by this

macedonian conquests

338 BCE - 323 BCE

alexander the great of macedon ends athenian democracy

end of classic athens

322 BCE

athenian democracy is dissolved
athens' classical period ends