Table of Contents
Often seen as the "golden age" of Greek culture, the Classical period includes extraordinary achievements in art, politics, science, and philosophy.
Major Events
- Persian Wars (499–479 BCE): Unified Greek forces—especially Athens and Sparta—defeated Persian invasions. Victories at Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea shaped Greek identity.
- Athenian Golden Age (mid-5th century BCE): Under Pericles, Athens developed radical democracy, built the Parthenon, and became a cultural center.
- Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE): Long conflict between Athens and Sparta. Sparta won, weakening both and destabilizing Greece.
- Rise of Macedon:
- Philip II unified Macedonia and gained influence over Greece at the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BCE).
- His son, Alexander the Great, inherited a powerful kingdom.
Cultural Achievements
- Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.
- Drama: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes.
- Art & Architecture: Idealized sculpture (Phidias, Polykleitos) and architectural refinements (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian orders).
- Science & Mathematics: Hippocrates, Euclid, Democritus, Archytas.
End of the Classical Period
The death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE marks the end of the Classical age and the beginning of the Hellenistic world.