The Golden Age of Athens!

Historians often refer to the Time period between 460 and 429 BCE as

the Golden Age!What does this term suggest to you about

life in Athens during this time?Scholars use the term, “Golden Age” to

refer to a historical period marked by prosperity and by great achievements in the arts

Politics and Govt Philosophy

Math & 5th c. BCE Athens

Science The Golden Age Poetry

The Age of Pericles

Art, Sculpture History

Architecture

Drama/Theatre

How Athens ….

•Citizens still voted

•Still gathered at acropolis and agora

•Each summer held festival to honor Athena

•Used Navy to become leader in Greek affairs

•gained wealth through trade

•Acropolis had new buildings to show increased wealth and power

•Built a marble temple to Athena called Parthenon-ruins still there today

•By 460 B.C. Athens is the leading city-state in Greece

Golden PoliticsPericles, great Athenian leader

3 GOALS for ATHENS:

Strengthen democracy, strengthen the empire & glorify Athens

Golden PoliticsDemocracy:Increased the number of public officials who received salaries

Introduced direct democracy; allowed for increased participation

Golden PoliticsAs Athens flourished, resentment began to develop on the Peloponnesus Peninsula

Resisted Athens & formed their own alliance (The PELOPONNESIAN LEAGUE)

Architecture:

• The many public buildings and temples were constructed with marble and featured slender, well-proportioned columns.

• Many modern public buildings imitate the three great styles of Greek columns:

Doric Column

Ionic Style Column

Corinthian Column

Golden Art

Art and Sculpture:Grace, strength, perfection

Portrayal IDEAL beautyFocused on harmony, order, balance and proportion

Golden Proportion

• Subjects were gods, goddesses and athletes

• They realistically depicted the human body utilizing various materials such as marble, bronze, ivory and gold.

Myron, c. 450 BC

• The discabolus portrays strength, motion and ideal serenity, while honoring Olympic athletes.

Hermes Praxiteles- “The Praxitelian curve ”-

Aphrodite - Praxiteles

the illusion of life through light, shadow, polished marble and contraposto

Golden DramaTragedy:SERIOUS DRAMA; love, hate, war & betrayal

The main character is generally a tragic hero with a fatal flaw, usually excessive pride

Golden DramaComedy:Slapstick comedy & crude humor

Poked fun at politics, ideas and respected leaders

Aeschylus, 525- 456 BC

The Father of Tragedy>Employed a dialog

between one actor and the chorus

>Introduced the Trilogy

Sophocles, 495-406 BC

• Dramatic plays added a 3rd actor, dealt with the conflict between a person’s will and his fate; include Oedipus Rex, Antigone and Electra,

Euripides, 480-406 BC

• Examined political and social ideas and vigorously criticized war, prejudice, hypocrisy and greed

• “Aeschylus and Sophocles showed how men ought to be, Euripides showed men as they are.”

• Ahead of his time, felt unappreciated-left Athens for Macedonia.

The Greeks and HistoryKnowledge of the past had consisted of myths and

legends.The first true historians attempted to base their

writings on facts.Herodotus (484-425 B.C.E.)

•Called the “father of history”•The Inquiries or The Histories•Traveled to learn and write about the Persian Wars•Much information about foreign customs, etc.•Gave the gods a role in historical events

Thucydides (471-400 B.C.E.)•Called the “first scientific historian”•History of the Peloponnesian Wars•Discussed cause and effect•Gave the people involved the main role in historical events

Herodotus, 484 – 424 BC

• The “Father of History”

• Described the Persian invasions of Greece…

• He embellished facts with fable, superstition and hearsay but was the first to try and “recount the past so that future generations can benefit.”

Leaders in Greek Science

Pythagoras

Hippocrates

Pythagoras

• Lived circa 580 B.C.E.-circa 490 B.C.E.

• Called the “father of numbers” – mathematician who believed everything could be numbered

• Pythagorean Theorem: “The square of the hypotenuse of a right angle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides.”

Hippocrates, 460-377 BC

• “Father of Medicine”- attributed disease to natural, not supernatural causes.

• The “Hippocratic Oath” to uphold medical standards is still taken by medical students upon graduation.

ResentmentAs Athenian wealth & power INCREASED, so did hostility among other city-states

Led to the Peloponnesian War:

The Peloponnesian War: The Alliance System Fails!

The Peloponnesian WarAthens abusing

funds from Delian League

27 year war ensuesEnthusiasm for the

war high on both sides

Pericles brings all the people into the city

He depends on the navy, high walls and food supplies to string out the war

What caused the Peloponnesian War?

FEAR!!

Athens's fear of the Peloponnesian Leagues Army

Sparta’s fear of Athenian trade power

The AftermathWhat happened to Athens after the Peloponnesian War?

DECLINE of the Golden AgeNO MORE empire, power or wealth