Athens Golden Age

• A golden age is an age where there is a lot of wealth, culture, and political power.

800 BCE

• When the Greek City States (polises) formed

~499 - 460 BCE

• Persian Wars - "300"

~480 - 423 BCE

• Athenian Golden Age

~431 - 404 BCE

• Peloponnesian Wars (vs. Sparta)
• Greek "civil" wars

Background of Ancient Greece

• Polis are city states
  • They traded and fought!
• ~100 city states with populations that ranged from about 5k to over 100's of thousands
• Formed ~800 BCE

True Reasoning Behind Athes' Golden Age

• Wealth was huge
  • Athens is the center of trade in the Mediterranean
• Power
  • Persian Wars: Athens organizes the Greek alliance
  • Athenian Navy does most of the heavy lifting
    • Gave power to people in the boats since the boats would be able to ram and attack others, demonstrating immense power and strength
• Politics
  • Democracy!

Athenian Democracy (5th BCE)

• Assembly
  • Open to all citizens
    • Met several times/month
    • Made most important decisions
• Council of 500
  • Members took turns serving as a chief executive
• Other important offices
  • Paid!
  • Gives equity to people who aren't rich
  • Chosen by... drawing your name out of the hat...
• Citizenry
  • Have to have the "biological equipment omfg" and must be born in the country/citystate
  • If you're a foreigner, you can't be a citizen
  • Does not include slaves
  • Does not really include women
  • Doesn't include most of the population
  • Doesn't include anyone from subject states