Events relating to athens

The Athenian general Cimon wins a spectacular victory over the Persians at the mouth of the Eurymedon River, in southwest Turkey

Pericles is one of a radical group in Athens, eager to curb the reactionaries controlling the Areopagus, and hostile to Sparta

An earthquake in Sparta leads to an uprising by the helots, who take up a defensive position on Mount Ithome

Sparta appeals to its allies for help against the helots, and Athens - against the wishes of Pericles and his group - sends an army

With the army away, Pericles introduces full democracy for all Athenian citizens, enabling them to vote and participate in the administration of the state

Sparta causes offence in Athens by dismissing the Athenian army without using them against the helots

Pericles is given the task of constructing Athens' two famous Long Walls, stretching from the city to either side of the harbour at Piraeus

Simmering hostilities between the allies of Sparta and Athens develop into endemic conflict among the Greek city states of the Peloponnese

Forces of the Delian League assist the Egyptians in a successful revolt against their Persian rulers

Athens completes its famous Long Walls, providing protected access between the city and its harbour, at Piraeus

Euripides enters the drama contest at the City Dionysia in Athens for the first time

The Greeks suffer a major reverse when their fleet is trapped on the Nile and destroyed by the Persians

The followers of Pythagoras maintain that the earth revolves on its own axis and moves in an orbit

The Athenians mount successful attacks on the Persian forces occupying the Greek island of Cyprus

In the Peace of Kallias the Persians acknowledge the independence of Greek Ionia, and agree not to bring their fleet into the Aegean

The Athenians begin building the Parthenon, a temple to Athena, which they complete within ten years

Phidias sculpts a huge statue of the goddess Athena, to be the central feature of the new Parthenon

An army commanded by a Spartan king turns back mysteriously during an invasion of Attica, leading to rumours that Pericles has bribed the king

Pericles negotiates a treaty, scheduled to hold for thirty years, establishing spheres of influence for Sparta (the mainland) and Athens (the Aegean coast and islands)

Pericles is selected by the assembly as the leading general of Athens, a post to which he is re-appointed every year until his death

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