Short Histrory of Athens

A Brief Reference to the History of Athens

Athens has a unique place in human history. As the people who pioneer the arts of history, philosophy and theater, who establish the first democracy, and who achieve a degree of perfection in architecture, sculpture and pottery, the Athenians have rightly acquired an almost legendary status. They surface relatively late in the story of Greece. It is not until the late 7^th century that Athens is firmly within the realm of recorded history.

Athens, named after its patron goddess Athena after a competition, according to Greek mythology, with god Poseidon about who will become protector of the city. The myth says that Athena offered to the Athenians an olive tree as she touched the ground of the sacred rock of the Acropolis whilst Poseidon offered a spring with sea water. The people of Athens choose Athena as their protector and so the city was named after the goddess of wisdom. The myth is symbolic indicating the strengths of the city and recognizing  Athens as a city of wisdom and as a sea power.

Early History

Athens is continuously inhabited since the Bronze Age. According to tradition, Athens was governed until 1000 B.C.  by Ionian kings, who had gained suzerainty over all the region called Attica. After the Ionian kings Athens was governed by its aristocrats until Solon began to enact liberal reforms in 594 B.C. Solon modified the harsh laws attributed to Draco and altered the economy and constitution to give power to all the propertied classes, thus establishing a limited democracy. His first legislation dealt with the impoverished peasants. He cancelled their debts and at the same time made it illegal for anyone to be enslaved by a creditor. His economic reforms were largely retained by his successors Pisistratus, Hippias, Hipparchus and Cleisthenes. Cleisthenes, an aristocrat himself,  was the first who tried to organize a democratic city-state. He divided the Athenians in 10 races with ten municipalities each. In each race belong citizens from various areas of Attica and thus the rich/aristocrats ceased to be a noble themselves and a strong class as they mixed with other fellow citizens. Cleisthenes gave all the power at the assembly called Ecclesia of Demos. From that assembly were elected the 10 generals who governed not only the army, but the state itself. The parliament of 400 was replaced by a new parliament with 500 deputies. The members of the new parliament where 50 Athenians from each race, selected annually by draw. With this system all the citizens of Athens were lilely to be some day members of the parliament. The task of the parliament was to prepare the topics to be discussed by the Ecclesia of Demos. Thus was born in Athens, the democracy, the constitution that gives all citizens the right and duty to participate in the governance of the state. Democracy was one of the most significant achievements of the ancient Greeks.

 

Athens Golden Age

The war against Persia, the so called Persian Wars (500-449 B.C.) made Athens the strongest Greek city-state. Even though Athens was much smaller and less powerful than its rival city Sparta at the start of the wars, was more active and effective fighting against Persia. The Athenian heroes Miltiades, Themistocles and Kimon were largely responsible for building the city’s strength. In 490 B.C. the Athenian army defeated the Persian at Marathon. Ten years later, the great Athenian fleet won a major victory over the Persians off the island of Salamis (480 B.C.). The strength at sea enabled Athens to become the leading city in the Delian League, which was created in 478-477 B.C. through the confederation of many city-states. In the following years the Delian League was transformed into an empire headed by Athens.

Soon after, the city arranged peace with Persia in 449 B.C. and with its main rival city Sparta in 445 B.C.

Athens lived its most glorious times during the 5^th century B.C., the so called Athens Golden Age, under the reign of Pericles. During this period the Acropolis was rebuilt in gleaming white marble beginning in 449 B.C. Construction on the Parthenon began in 447 B.C. and was completed nine years later. The large, decorated temple was dedicated to Athena and contained a huge statue of the goddess. The Erechtheum, with its marble female figures –known as the caryatids – supporting the roof, and the Temple of Athena Nike were also built on the Acropolis during the same period.

 Arts, Philosophy and Drama developed to their highest point. New philosophical ideas emerged by brilliant philosophers, like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle and many sciences flourished. Drama and literature flourished in the form of the tragedies written by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.

 

Rivalry with Sparta – The long Decline of Athens – Roman Occupation

The golden age of Athens was stopped after Athenians lost the Peloponnesian War in 404 B.C. against the Spartans. The city went into a decline that lasted until the period of Roman control three centuries later. Although the Romans captured Athens and pulled down the Long Walls in 88 B.C., they later built many magnificent buildings. The emperor Hadrian, in particular, completed a huge Temple of Olympian Zeus, erected a large arch and built a library and a gymnasium. Herodes Atticus built the Odeum, a theater that is still in use.

 Athens did not suffer a lot from the Roman occupation since it was a city admired and respected for her culture, her arts, her literature and philosophy. Athens sent out many teachers to Rome and retained a certain glory as a moderately prosperous city of the empire.

From Byzantine to Ottoman Rule

At the end of the Roman period, the city began to decay. Several temples were turned into Christian churches during the Byzantine period and after the city captured by the Crusaders in 1204. The Turks occupied Athens in 1456 and began an almost 400-year rule. They turned the Parthenon into a mosque and occupied other classical buildings. In the 17^th century the Parthenon was severely damaged when explosive powdered stored in exploded. Further damage was done during fighting between the Turks and the Venetians.