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500 BCE
Athens Adopts a Direct Democracy
After having an monarchy, an oligarchy, and a tyranny, Athens finally settles with a direct democracy. A direct democracy is a government where the citizens are the lawmakers. Athen's council of 500 would make the laws, and the citizens, which were free men, would vote on these laws. This event is very important because we use the principals of Athenian Democracy in the representative democracy we have today. -
Period: 499 BCE to 449 BCE
The Persian Wars
The Persian Wars were a series of three wars that the Greeks fought against the Persian Empire. The conflict started when Athenians helped one of their colonies, who resided in the Persian Empire, rebel against their rule. The three battles were the Battle of Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis, where the Greeks ultimately won. These wars are significant because this is where we see the Greek city-states unite for the first time to defeat their enemy. -
Period: 479 BCE to 431 BCE
The Golden Age of Athens
The Golden Age of Athens was a period of time after the Persian Wars where Athens became very wealthy and powerful. Athens, who was lead by Pericles at this time, flourished in sculpture, theater, philosophy and democracy. The Golden Age is significant because this is where we see philosophers, such as Socrates, shine. These philosophers helped shape democracy and education throughout history. -
411 BCE
Thucydides Writes "History of the Peloponessian War"
Thucydides was a Greek historian who wrote a primary source on the Peloponnesian wars. This book was called "The History of the Peloponnesian War" and it includes evidence and analysis of the battle between Sparta and Athens. Without Thucydides, we would live our lives knowing nothing about this war, which would decrease our understanding of the ancient world.