Pericles, a key political figure of 5th century Athens states, “Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves.” The Athenians had no desire to follow what appeared as mediocre government, the Athenians pushed for the best form they could find. Arete, for Athens, meant every person had a voice in politics. Politics embraces the reason of the mind as well as the emotion of the heart. Therefore, the very essence of a good human being would lie in being a politically active person. While some, like Plato in his The Republic, thought it weak to give government into the hands of the common people, Pericles countered this argument with a compelling argument of greatness.
Polis, which managed to conquer the rest of cities in the area, became the main power which determined further development of a state, However, its rule was not perennial and new internecine war started. Athens, Sparta, Macedonia and a great number of other small states on the territory of Greece tried to became dominant and rule the whole area. It should be said that periods of the rise of influence and power of Greece coincides with periods when one polis managed to seize the power. The state of Alexander the Great is the best evidence to this statement. Having managed to unite Greece under his rule.
Among the Ancient Greece polices there are two which mostly deserve the research of their history, namely Athens and Sparta. These city-states applies different approaches to the political organization, social structure and adoption of different cultural priorities. The abovementioned differences presuppose the unequal influence of these states on the development of ancient Greece and modern world in general. Within the sphere of political organization, the Athens are regarded to be the homeland of democracy, while Spartan society demonstrates the features of oligarchy. The post-Cleisthenes Athens had a special system of government, which is often thought to be the most democratic one of all times.
I broke off my meditation. I couldn't go on. There was something pulling me back” (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 2000.) The citizen described by Aristotle is a member of the polis. The polis is particularly important in defining the citizen because it is what allows self-sufficiency.
Center stage is the prized government of Athens, in which all men (freed men, not slaves or women) participate in community gatherings to make crucial political decisions. Pericles raves of democracy’s equal opportunity for the entire city state. In comparison to Sparta, the General notes that his home puts the law of the land in the hands of many rather than few, thus placing Athens’ government ahead of Spartan’s Council of Elders. Pericles targets his military next. He describes it to be a force of love, compassion, and bravery, something his rival does not possess.
Notable monarchies in Greek city-states were those of Epeiros and Macedonia, where the king shared power with the assembly. Sparta was famous for its system of two (2) kings at a time and they were kept in check by ephors. (Magistrates). ( Cartwright M. 2013). In the beginning of 2.000 BC Mycenaeans ruled Greece and by 1,200 B.C., his government collapsed,
The ancient powerhouse of Greece, Sparta, was a city-state that was based around military. They were known for many reasons and continue to influence history today. The Spartans reached the top of their run of success after defeating the Athenians in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C). The ideals and morals of the Spartans were based upon loyalty to the military and the entire city-state. Many scholars idolize the Spartans because of the rights that women held and their place in society.
Persia was one of the world's largest and the richest empires which successfully contributed to modern civilization. They were a civilization who gave priority to treating everyone with equal respect. The Persians produced some of the best scholars in the world who have successfully contributed to fields such as astronomy, medicine, mathematics, literature and philosophy. Throughout the millenniums of invasions and conquests; Persians have known to have been tough enough to live through it and repel the invaders. Persia , modern day includes Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel and some parts of Egypt and India.
Philip conquered all of Greek city-states victoriously. After he wasn’t crowned king anymore due to his death, his son beat him to be on top. Alexander held more accomplishments. While his father was away for battle, Olympias oddly enough told Alexander that his father was not who he was, and that is was Zeus. Zeus in that time was a Greek supreme
The Parthenon in Athens and the Pantheon in Rome In 500-323 B.C. Which is the classical age of Greek Civilization? During this time, they gain more strength after being victorious over the Persians (Peace treaty in 449 B.C.). Democracy as a form of government was developed in Athens as a virtue for individual citizens in a society where individuals are treated equal, also they still worship and reference their gods. The Greeks place so much importance to their past because they use it as motivation to reach a greater height in the future, this is based on their culture and as a value for humans.