Lesson 3: Classical Greece

Lesson Focus

Explore the peak of ancient Greece, a time of brilliant culture under Athenian leadership. You will also learn how internal conflicts between city-states led to a devastating war.

People to Know

Pericles

Learning Objectives

• Explain how Greek city-states united to defend against the Persian invasions and the results of these critical battles.
• Analyze how Pericles expanded Athenian democracy, making this era the height of Athens's power and cultural influence.
• Determine the causes and effects of the Peloponnesian War, the major conflict between the rival powers of Athens and Sparta.

The Persian Empire, led by kings Darius and Xerxes, attacked Greece to punish Athens for aiding a revolt.
In response, Greek city-states formed a defensive league. Key battles included the Athenian victory at Marathon in 490 B.C. and the naval battle at Salamis in 480 B.C.
After a final victory at Plataea in 479 B.C., the Greeks secured their independence, which gave Athens newfound confidence and set the stage for its rise.

To guard against future Persian threats, Athens formed a defensive alliance called the Delian League in 478 B.C.
Using its powerful navy, Athens came to dominate the league, collecting payments from allies. In 454 B.C., Athens moved the league's treasury to its own city.
Pay special attention to how this action transformed the alliance into an Athenian empire, centralizing power and wealth in Athens and turning its allies into subjects.

During the Age of Pericles (461 B.C.–429 B.C.), Athens became the center of Greek culture and politics.
Pericles championed direct democracy, a system where all male citizens could vote on laws, and introduced pay for public officials. The city also used ostracism to banish politicians deemed too powerful.
This expansion of democracy marked the peak of Athenian power and brilliance in the classical period, making Athens the “school of Greece.”

Athenian society was highly structured to support its economy of farming and trade.
Only adult male citizens held political power, while foreigners had legal protection but no vote, and a large population of slaves performed most of the labor.
Women were citizens but were excluded from public life, expected to manage the home and bear children. This rigid hierarchy maintained social order but limited rights for the vast majority of the population.

Growing fear of the Athenian Empire led Sparta and its allies to declare war in 431 B.C.
The two sides adopted different strategies: Athens relied on its navy and city walls, while Sparta used its powerful army. A plague devastated Athens, killing Pericles.
After Athens's fleet was destroyed in 405 B.C., it surrendered. The Great Peloponnesian War ruined the Greek city-states, ending their golden age and leaving them vulnerable to conquest.