The Poleis (city-states) in Ancient Greece persisted always on a tenuous basis since they were small, lacked stability, and were unable to form solid lasting alliances. Thus Athen’s dominance and wealth during its golden period (known as The Age of Pericles, 480 BCE-404 BCE) were more of an exception to the status quo of the times than otherwise. (Brand, n.d.) The end of Athen’s democracy can be attributed to several aspects of its environment including the fragility of its power, the contradiction of its democracy and tyranny over its neighbors, and the internal peril of its aristocrat's oligarchic leanings.
Athen’s defeat with its allies of Persia during the First and Second Persian wars (490 BCE-449 BCE) were aspects that led to its dominance …show more content…
However, its small size and large powerful neighbor are at the root if the tenuousness of Athen’s existence. Through the lens of hindsight, its decisions were also part of its progression towards dissolution. Thus the fall of Athenian democracy resulted from a combination of internal and external forces.
References:
Cammack, D. (Jan, 2013). Rethinking Athenian Democracy. Harvard University. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2017 from https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/10423842/Cammack_gsas.harvard_0084L_10724.pdf?sequence=1
Blackwell, C. (Feb. 8, 2003). Athenian Democracy: a brief overview. Stoa Publication. Retrieved on Nov., 23, 2017 from http://www.stoa.org/projects/demos/article_democracy_overview?page=3
LeCaire, L. (2013). Tyranny and terror: the failure of Athenian democracy and the reign of the Thirty Tyrants. EWU Masters Thesis Collection. Paper 179. Eastern Washington University. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2017 from http://dc.ewu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1178&context=theses
Brand, Dr. P. J. (n.d.). Athens & Sparta: Democracy vs. Dictatorship. History.com. Retrieved November 22, 2017 from http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/ancient-greece-
Athen’s defeat with its allies of Persia during the First and Second Persian wars (490 BCE-449 BCE) were aspects that led to its dominance …show more content…
However, its small size and large powerful neighbor are at the root if the tenuousness of Athen’s existence. Through the lens of hindsight, its decisions were also part of its progression towards dissolution. Thus the fall of Athenian democracy resulted from a combination of internal and external forces.
References:
Cammack, D. (Jan, 2013). Rethinking Athenian Democracy. Harvard University. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2017 from https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/10423842/Cammack_gsas.harvard_0084L_10724.pdf?sequence=1
Blackwell, C. (Feb. 8, 2003). Athenian Democracy: a brief overview. Stoa Publication. Retrieved on Nov., 23, 2017 from http://www.stoa.org/projects/demos/article_democracy_overview?page=3
LeCaire, L. (2013). Tyranny and terror: the failure of Athenian democracy and the reign of the Thirty Tyrants. EWU Masters Thesis Collection. Paper 179. Eastern Washington University. Retrieved Nov. 23, 2017 from http://dc.ewu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1178&context=theses
Brand, Dr. P. J. (n.d.). Athens & Sparta: Democracy vs. Dictatorship. History.com. Retrieved November 22, 2017 from http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/ancient-greece-