Expert: Hank Hokamp - 6/22/2011

Question
QUESTION: is the city state of Athens justified when regarding itself as the center of the Greek world during the 5th century BCE.

ANSWER:    Hello Achliann. I think you're a new visitor to AllExperts. WELCOME!

  Ancient Greek philosophy developed during the 5th century BC, setting the foundation for Western ideology. In Athens and elsewhere in the Mediterranean world, the 5th century marked a high point in the development of political institutions, art, architecture, and literature.

  The century was also notable for the Persian Wars, fought between the Greek cities, and the vast Persian Empire. Determined to punish Athens for supporting a revolt by conquered Greek cities in Asia Minor, King Darius I sent several armies against them, only to have his plans first thwarted by a storm and later by a defeat at the Battle of Marathon. His son Xerxes attempted to finish the job 10 years later, and succeeded in capturing Athens and burning it to the ground, only to be defeated later on land at Plataea. In the latter part of the century, the Greeks became locked in a bitter war among themselves, with the major cities Athens and Sparta competing for absolute domination. The SPARTANS were victorious in this battle.

   ANSWER: NO. Not during the 5th Century B.C.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: what happened then after Sparta won the battle titling them the absolute dominating city ? did Athens ever recover and try again against Sparta?

Answer
  Hello Again, Achlinn. Thanks, again, for your questions:

  As I said, after many years of hard fighting, Sparta won the war. In true Greek spirit, Sparta refused to burn the city of Athens. Rather, the culture and spirit of Athens was allowed to live on, as long as the Athenians no longer desired to rule their fellow Greeks. In this way, the influence of Athens remained and grew stronger. Other city-states had the same kinds of temples, buildings, and meeting-places, but it was Athens that became most famous.

  When the First Peloponnesian War broke out, Sparta was still preoccupied suppressing the helot revolt. Its involvement was somewhat desultory. It amounted to little more than isolated expeditions, the most notable of which involved helping to inflict a defeat on the Athenians at the Battle of Tanagra in 457 BCE in Boeotia.

  However, they then returned home giving the Athenians an opportunity to defeat the Boeotians at the battle of Oenophyta and so overthowing Boeotia. When the helot revolt was finally ended, Sparta needed a respite, seeking and gaining a five year truce with Athens.

  By contrast, however, Sparta sought a thirty year peace with Argos to ensure that they could strike Athens unencumbered. Thus Sparta was fully able to exploit the situation when Megara, Boeotia and Euboea revolted, sending an army into Attica. The war ended with Athens deprived of its mainland possessions but keeping its vast Aegean Empire intact. Both of Sparta's Kings were exiled for permitting Athens to regain Euboea and Sparta agreed to a Thirty Year Peace.

  Quite a rivalry, Achlinn. Interesting subject. Anyway, take care and let me hear from you again.

         HANK