Classical Period

Victory in the Persian Wars gave a huge boost to Greece, leading to a period of intense political and intellectual growth. Athens played a central part in these developments. Investing on the power and prestige it acquired during the wars, Athens arose as the main military and economic power of the 5^th c. BC. The wealth accrued in the city through trade, and the freedom offered by the democratic regime attracted the greatest minds of the time. The Athenian state, especially at the time of Pericles, supported cultural production, sponsoring public works, such as the rebuilding of Parthenon, dramatic and musical contests etc.

The artists and philosophers of the period adopted anthropocentric views, exploring the social, political and ethical dimensions of human behaviour. However, the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) brought this intellectual floruit to an abrupt end. After a long stuggle, Spart won, while Athens lost much of its power and became more conservative.

The early 4^th c. BC was marked by continuous military conflicts, which weakened Greek city-states. At the same time, a new and wealthy power, the kingdom of Macedonia, started its expansion. Between 348 and 338 BC, Phillip II gained control over the whole of mainland Greece. His son Alexander turned his interest to the Near and Middle East, creating a vast empire with inexhaustible natural resources (336-323 BC). His conquests put an end to the independence of city-states and changed the history of the ancient world.