Athens was one of the main polis of Ancient Greece, known as the home of democracy, political system that emerged in the VI century BC. Ç. The city of Athens is one of the most studied places in Greece due to the large amount of writings in it. made during the Classic Period — a demonstration of how the city was open to the production of knowledge.
Athens appeared in the period of Mycenaean Civilization, second millennium a. a., and its evolution made her an important place in Greece. It dominated the Attica region, assumed a leading role during the struggle against the Persians, and went into decline with the defeat in the war against the Spartans.
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Origins
Historians point out that the human presence in the region of Athens dates back, more or less, to the period of 5000 BC. Ç., therefore, to the Neolithic Period. This finding was made because archaeological excavations found evidence of human presence in regions close to the Athenian Agora and Acropolis.
Around 1500 BC a., therefore, during the period of existence of the Mycenaean Civilization, it is believed that Athens was already a small organized community. From that period, archaeologists managed to find evidence that points to the possible existence of a palace (center of power for the Mycenaeans) and some fortifications. Greek legends tell that Athena was named after the goddess Athena.
Mycenaean decay probably contributed to the weakening of the community that existed in Athens. It is believed that the peoples of the sea, mysterious groups that were related to the Mycenaean decay, passed through Attica (where Athens is), causing great destruction there. The Dorians, it is believed, did not attack her.
around the 10th century BC Ç., population losses during the Mycenaean decay began to be reversed and the population of Athens grew back. From then on, the Athenian commerce began to gain expression, and around the 8th century BC. Ç. and VII a. a., the city began to form its first administrative institutions.
Athenian Democracy
The development of Athens took place through a process of income concentration, which made a privileged group, the eupatrids, held the wealth and controlled the politics of the city. The city of Athens was, therefore, a model of polisoligarchic. Historians point out that, at this stage, some debates about power led to profound changes in the city.
there was a lot dissatisfaction in Athens because impoverished peasants were losing their land and being enslaved to pay your debts. This motivated many to start the greek colonization, but also led to social upheavals which, in the long run, resulted in the emergence of democracy.
The reforms in Athens began to be made at the end of the VII century; C., and the first legislator to make them was dragon. This Athenian politician imposed a series of laws punishable by death if someone did not comply with them. Dracon's laws were considered too strict, and later on, Solon promoted further reforms.
the reforms of solon were held in 594 BC. Ç. and responsible for laying the foundations of what would become Athenian democracy. He organized the city's citizens into four tribes, defined by income criteria, and the richer the tribe, the greater its political rights.
Solon also created the ecclesia, the popular assembly, where the citizens of the four tribes could meet and make the decisions for the city. Another institution created was the teapot, a council formed by 400 citizens, 100 from each tribe, and the responsibility of this group was to propose the laws that would be debated in Ecclesia.
The reforms undertaken by Dracon and Solon were not enough to ease the tensions that existed between the aristocracy and the poor Athenians. This brought about governmentstyrannical, in the Greek conception, who assume power by force. These governments sometimes served the interests of the poor, sometimes they served the interests of the aristocrats.
Tyrannical governments ended with the choice of Clesthenes for the role of Athenian legislator. During his government, new reforms took place between 510 a. Ç. and 507 a. C., causing that the Athenian democracy was officially created. Clístenes understood that all citizens (men who have political rights) were equal before the law, regardless of their economic condition.
At four tribes created by Solon were replaced by 10tribes established according to where citizens resided. In addition, the composition of the Bulé was reformulated, with it being composed of 500 members, 50 from each tribe. Finally, all citizens had the right to assemble at the Pnyx, where Ecclesia was located.
This Athenian model was taken to Attica, a very large region that was under the control of Athens. This was one of the differences between Athens and its biggest rival, Sparta, as the Athenians imposed their dominion over Attica, and some islands in the Aegean Sea, granting political rights to those under its control. Sparta, for its part, imposed this domain, but without granting any political right.
Although innovative, the Athenian system had limitations, since Athenian citizenship was limited to a very small group of Athenian men, children of Athenian parents. In any case, it was a gain for the poor classes of this polis because it allowed them to be involved in political decisions. To learn more about this important and influential political system, read: Athenian Democracy.
wars
As Athens had a privileged position in Ancient Greece, it is natural that the city has had central role in some wars that happened in the region. At the beginning of the fifth century a. C., Athens sent troops to the Asia Minor region to help Greek cities that were rebelling against the domain persa.
Athenian involvement in RevoltIonic angered the Persian king, Darius, causing him to organize an expedition to invade Mainland Greece and punish Athens, in 490 BC. Ç. This was the beginning of Medical Wars, two conflicts between Greeks and Persians, in Antique.
Athens and many other Greek cities, including Sparta, united to face the Persian invasion. In the two Medical Wars, Athens was invaded and sacked twice, but it played a fundamental role in the victories that happened in Marathon, salamin and Audience. After the defeat of the Persians, Athens was strengthened, as it had a powerful naval fleet and possessed the league leadershipindelos.
This league was an association of Greek cities that formed a fund to be used against the Persians. As Athena occupied the leadership of the league, he began to use her funds to invest in his own development and in his own interests. O strengthening of Athens via Liga de Delos caused Sparta and other Greek cities to mobilize against the Athenians, and this led to the Peloponnesian War.
THE Peloponnesian War it extended from 431 a. Ç. to 404 a. Ç. and was fought by Sparta and its allies against Athens and the allies of the League of Delos. A conflict between the two cities had already happened between 460 a. Ç. and 446 a. Ç. However, traditionally, the Peloponnesian War is understood as the clash of the period 431-404 BC. Ç.
The immediate causes of the war were Athenian intervention in a conflict between two colonies. of Corinth (ally of Sparta) and the economic blockade of Athens on Megara (also ally of Sparta). During the fallout, the Spartans won the support of the Persians, prevented the arrival of grain in the city and surrounded it by land. These actions weakened Athens and forced the city's leadership to surrender in 404 BC. Ç.
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golden age
![Pericles was a ruler of Athens in the V century; a., and a period of great economic and cultural development in the city is credited to him.[1]](/f/df4f0416907a437b30380eff66c3730e.jpg)
The Peloponnesian War ended Athenian rule over Greece, and during that conflict, the Athenian Golden Age came to an end. This period took place during the administration of pericles. He was one of the great Athenian politicians, bringing the city to its moment of greatest economic and cultural development.
During the golden age, Athens experienced a great cultural development and housed several scholars who were marked in the history of Ancient Greece. Among them are Herodotus, known for making records of important historical events of the Greeks; Socrates, one of the great names of Greek philosophy; Hippocrates, known as the “father of medicine”; Aristophanes, one of the best known Greek dramatists, etc.
Pericles also made use of the League of Delos in order to fortify the city, and many attribute the defeat Greek in the Peloponnesian War as a consequence of Pericles' death (although he died 25 years old before). Pericles died a victim of Athens Plague, an epidemic outbreak that hit the city in 430-427 BC. Ç.
Image credits
[1] Ligankov Aleksey and Shutterstock
By Daniel Neves
History teacher
