Paper Summary:

This paper provides a historical account of the ancient Greek city-state of Athens. Its development from being a minor city in the small section of Greece known as Attica, to becoming one of the most important cities in the world, is portrayed. The paper examines the contributions made by Ancient Athens to modern society and government. Athens' success in the Persian wars is outlined. The paper illustrates the city flourishing into an empire and analyzes her subsequent downfall in the Peloponnesian wars.

Introduction
Early Period
The Persian Wars
The Golden Age
The Peloponnesian Wars
Aftermath
Conclusion
Bibliography

From the Paper:

"The city-state of Athens was settled by the Ionian Greeks and was mentioned in the Iliad. It was however, a minor city. About 700 B.C., it started to become more important as it became a key trading center. A rudimentary democracy was also taking hold. Athens was the leading combatant in the Persian Wars, after which she formed an alliance that grew into a maritime empire. During this period, Greece in general and Athens in particular, enjoyed a golden age. Eventually, Athens' growing power brought it into conflict with Sparta, the other dominant city-state. The result was a series of wars known as the Peloponnesian Wars, which ruined Athens and led to her decline as a major power. Later, the city was dominated by Macedonia and then incorporated into the Roman province of Greece. But, for a time, Athens was one of the most important cities in the world and was the originator of many of our current concepts of government."

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