Rise Of Athens Essay

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Recommended: Politics in Sparta and Athens

By the end of 403 BCE, Athens was brought upon an important decision: what to make of the Athenian government. After enduring the devastating reign of the Thirty Tyrants, Athens had finally regained some of its independence from Sparta by overthrowing the ruthless Thirty Tyrants. Independent and reborn, Athens was weak and was in great need to reform its government for the safety and peace of Athens and its people.
Athens is centrally located in Greece and had the strong acropolis of Attica that had its own water supply and natural barriers. With an advantageous central location, it was a perfect center for commerce that encouraged advances in art, literature, and many other fields. With busy trade business comes growth in population which allowed Athens to spread its polis far into the countryside. In the 440s and 430s BCE, after the adaption of democracy in Athens, Athens quickly entered its golden age and prospered rapidly both politically and economically. The change from an oligarchy to a democracy allowed direct participation of its citizens and limited the power of aristocratic individuals. The democracy helped
The growth and prosperity of Athens resulted in great fear and resentment by the other Greek city-states. They fear that the powerful Athens may come to dominate them too. In an effort to protect their own city-states, Sparta and other Greek city-states formed the ally with the aim to end the expansion of Athenian power. In 431 BCE, the Peloponnesian War broke out between Athens and the Spartan led city-states. The war lasted 27 long and gruesome years that ended tragically when Athens finally surrendered to Sparta in 404 BCE. Athens fell to the power of Sparta and lost all its fortifications, foreign territories, navy, and independence. This destructive war ended Athenian dominance for the rest of Greek history and the Spartans became the dominant power in

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