Download Greek Democracy

Greek Democracy
World History
10/24/16
Pericles
• Dominated Athens from 461 to 429 BC:
Age of Pericles
• Skillful politician, inspiring speaker,
respected general
• 3 goals: Strengthen Athenian
democracy, hold and strengthen the
empire, and glorify Athens
Strengthen democracy
• Paid public officials: opened up office to poor
people
• Introduced direct democracy: citizens rule
directly and not through representatives
• Famous speech: “The Funeral Oration”
Strengthen empire
After defeat of Persians, Pericles helped make the
Athenian navy the strongest in the Mediterranean
As a result, Athens dominated other Greek regions
Sparta was one of the few Greek city-states that
resisted Athens
Glorifying Athens
Pericles beautified Athens by buying gold, ivory, and
marble
Money went to artists to use the materials
The Parthenon
Contained a giant statue of Athena
Sculptors created classical art--- values of harmony,
balance, order and proportion.
Greek Art/Music
• Greeks invented drama
as an art form
• Built first theaters in
the West
• Sophocles was most
famous Greek
playwright, wrote
Antigone
• Two kinds of drama:
Comedy and Tragedy
• Comedy: crude humor,
made fun of politics
and famous people
• Tragedy: serious drama
about love, hate, war,
or betrayal
• Herodutus became the
first person to record
history
This is Sparta!
Sparta declared war
on Athens in 431 B.C.
Called the
Peloponnesian Wars
This is Sparta!!! 
Peloponnesian Wars
Athens
Sparta
• Had stronger navy
• Had stronger army
• Waited to fight in the sea
• Was located inland
• In 432, Athens was struck
by the plague, killing onethird of the population
• Made its way into
Athenian territory
• Kept fighting until signing
a truce in 421 B.C.
• Burned the Athenian
food supply
P. Wars, continued
• 6 years after the truce, Athens sends 20,000
soldiers to destroy Syracuse, a Spartan ally
• Expedition was crushed
• Athens fought off Sparta for nine years, then
finally submitted to Sparta in 404 B.C.
Legacy of the P. Wars
• Marked the end of the domination of Athens
• Started the end of the Golden Age of Greece