Athens Defeats Persia in First Persian War - Essay Sample

Introduction

The first Persian War started in 492BC and concluded in 490BC after the Athenians took the victory. The war involved the attack of Greece by Persia. King Darius of Persia ordered the attack, intending to punish Eritrea and Athens ("Redshelf"). The war was significant for Greece. The reason for this is because it was the first time that Greece had fought the Persians and defeated them. For Athens, the battle had just brought a start to the 'golden age.'

480 BC the Second Persian War

The battle happened between 480 and 479 BC. Xerxes I, king of Persia, invaded Greece for another time, intending to conquer the whole of the territory. The war can get termed as a response due to the defeat of Persia in the first war ("Redshelf"). The war was significant for the whole of European history. Many historians believe that if Greece had gotten conquered, then the western civilization that led to the rise of the ancient Greece culture would have never developed.

421 BC Peace of Nicias

In 425 BC, Athens had defeated the Spartans in the sphacteria war and the Pylos battle. As a result, Athens captured 292 individuals and kept them as prisoners. Of the 292 people, more than one hundred and twenty of them were from spartiates ("Redshelf"). The negotiations for peace were started by the king of Sparta, whose name was Pleistoanax, and Nicias, the general of Athens. The significance of the peace treaty was that the prisoners were released, and Greece got opened for worship for all individuals. Athens agreed to help Sparta in the case that it got attacked. Hence, the deal was important as I brought good terms.

411 BC Oligarchic Revolution at Athens

After the Sicilian defeat, some Athenian men who had much influence had, for a long time, wanted to stage a coup and kill democracy. The men argued that a small group consisting of Athenian men could rule Athens better than the democratic assembly. Alcibiades promised that they would make ties with Persia, and even ask for funds if only democracy would be abolished ("Redshelf"). Democracy got abolished later, and some four hundred men took over the power. However, the reign did not go far as they started fighting for dominance in power. The event is important in the history of Greece because it reminds them how they have come in terms of democracy, and its importance.

406 BC Battle of Arginusae

The Arginusae battle happened in 406BC at the time of the Peloponnesian war. The battle happened on an island known as Arginusae. In the war, the Spartan fleet got defeated by the Athenian navy ("Redshelf"). Previously, the Spartans had defeated the Athenians. The Athenians fleet was, therefore, weaker than the Spartan since it consisted of inexperienced individuals. The battle was significant since it brought victory for the Athenians. Additionally, the slaves that had taken part in the war to help Athens take victory got granted citizenship, and they were no longer slaves.

404 BC Surrender of the Athens

In 405 BC, Athens got defeated by Sparta, which was led by Lysander. The Spartan naval fleet used cunning techniques to destroy one hundred and sixty-eight Athenian ships. A prolonged siege then took place in Athens, which led to its surrender in 404BC ("Redshelf"). Athens got stripped of all its possessions. Athens was to get destroyed, but the Spartans took it under their mercy. The event is significant in Greece history since it illustrates one of the moments that Athens was completely defeated.

399 BC Execution of Socrates

In 399 BC, on a day, not well known, Socrates, a philosopher, went before a jury that consisted of five hundred individuals. He got accused of corruption and failure to recognize the state's gods ("Redshelf"). Socrates got executed through a cup of poison, which he drunk. The death of Socrates had significance in Greece history and the western at large. The reason for this is that Socrates believed that philosophy was supposed to bring contentment to human beings. According to him, the human desire to become happy motivated their choices.

395-387 BC the Corinthian War

The Corinthian war happened as a result of the dominance of Sparta after the Peloponnesian war. In the war, Sparta had achieved victory and thus had extended its territory. As a result, Sparta was in a battle with four cities that had allied. The war ended with the signing of a peace treaty in 387 BC ("Redshelf"). The significance of the war is that the peace treaty declared all the Greece cities as autonomous.

379/8 BC Creation of the Second Athenian Confederacy

Athens requested all other cities of Greece to unite and stop Sparta, which was having more power. The cities came together and established the "Decree of Aristoteles." The decree was the formal charter. Additionally, although Athens got considered as the head of the charter, every city got considered as autonomous ("Redshelf"). It declared a permanent alliance that got formed between the other cities and Athens. The importance of the confederacy is that it helped in removing Sparta from power.

336-323 BC Reign Of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great ruled Macedonia. He was able to conquer many cities. Alexander had a great ambition of conquering the whole world and becoming its sole ruler. He gets consider as the first individual to conquer many empires, including Egypt, Asia, and Greece ("Redshelf"). He brought rise to a new era that got referred to as the 'Hellenistic Age.' Alexander is important to the history of ancient Greece because he is the first conqueror of many kingdoms. He also developed an ethnic fusion between the Persians and the people of Macedonia.

Works Cited

"Redshelf." Redshelf.com. N.P., 2019. Web. 5 Dec. 2019.