Glory, War, and Decline

Chapter 9.4

Rule of PericlesGolden Age

Following the end of the Persian Wars, Athens rose to power.

From 461 B.C. to 429 B.C. Pericles ruled over Athens.

He encouraged citizens to participate in government.

Athens became the economic and cultural central of Greece.

Pericles in Charge

• Pericles was a general who became an important leader in Athens.

• Promoted democracy and believed government jobs should be based on ability and not social class.

• Built temples and monuments in the city.• Supported artists, writers, and

philosophers.• Athens – “school of Greece”

Democracy in Athens• Athenians practiced direct democracy.• There was a manageable number of citizens so

all of them could vote.• Meetings were held every 10 days. Citizens

passed laws, elected officials, and made policies.

• Each person’s decision directly affected the outcome of a vote.

Representative Democracy

• The United States has too many citizens for a direct democracy.

• The U.S. has a representative democracy or republic.

• Citizens elect others to represent them and pass the laws.

Athenian Life Men Farmers, artisans, merchants

Work in morning, exercise in afternoon, meet in evenings

Participate in government

Women Focus on home and family, marry young

Poor women had to help on farm

Aristocrats could not leave home except for funerals and festivals

Could not own land or vote

Slaves Some were prisoners captured in battle

Worked on farms and in the home

Most homes had at least 1 slave

Economy Grew grains, vegetables, and fruits

Not enough to support the number of people

Led the Greek world in trade in 400s B.C.

Delain League

War Between Athens and Sparta

• 478 B.C. Athens and other city-states joined together to defend themselves against Persia.

• Formed Delian League

• Athens provided sailors and soldiers.

• Others provided $

• Protected from Persia and Greece prospered.

Athenian Empire

• Athens became strongest member of the league because of the strength of their navy.

• They began treating the other city-states as their own subjects.

• Demanded $ from other city-states

War Breaks Out

• Sparta led other city-states against Athens.• Peloponnesian League formed in southern

Greece.• Sparta declared war on Athens in 431 B.C. • Continued until 404 B.C. with truce in between

for a few years

Pericles’ Funeral Oration

• During a public funeral to honor the dead, Pericles spoke of the greatness of Athens.

• Encouraged citizens to fight and protect democracy.

Athens loses the war

• Sparta had Athens surrounded.

• Pericles kept the people within the city and had the navy bring in supplies.

• Disease broke out in Athens, killing Pericles and 1/3 of the population.

• The war continued for 25 years with each side winning some battles.

Athens loses the war

• Sparta made a deal with the Persians.

• Sparta gave up land in return for gold to build a navy.

• The new navy destroyed the weakened navy of Athens.

• Sparta blockaded Athens so that no food or supplies could get in.

• Starving, Athens surrendered a year later.

Effects of the war

• Peloponnesian War left city-states weak.• Farms destroyed and many died.• Thousands left Greece and joined the Persian army.• Sparta was the most powerful city-state for about 30

years.• Other city-states did not like Sparta’s cruel treatment.• Thebes seized Sparta.• Fighting between city-states left them open for outside

attack.• Thebes falls after 10 years and Macedonia takes over

Greece.