What led to Athens downfall?

What led to Athens downfall?

Although Athens was enjoying a golden age while led by Pericles, this soon came to an end and thus began the fall of Athens. That fall began in 431 B.C.E. when the 27 year long Peloponnesian War began. Both Athens and Sparta longed for dominance, and in May of 431 B.C.E., war broke out between them.

What was happening in 430 BC?

In 430 BC, a plague struck the city of Athens, which was then under siege by Sparta during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). In the next 3 years, most of the population was infected, and perhaps as many as 75,000 to 100,000 people, 25% of the city’s population, died.

Why did democracy fall in Athens?

After his death, Athenian democracy was twice briefly interrupted by oligarchic revolutions towards the end of the Peloponnesian War. Democracy was suppressed by the Macedonians in 322 BC. The Athenian institutions were later revived, but how close they were to a real democracy is debatable.

Who conquered Athens?

This system remained remarkably stable, and with a few brief interruptions remained in place for 170 years, until Alexander the Great conquered Athens in 338 BC.

What disease caused all this pain and suffering in Athens?

Typhoid fever Few features suggest that typhoid fever was the cause of the plague of Athens.

Who was the person that created a very harsh set of laws for Athens?

Draconian laws, traditional Athenian law code allegedly introduced by Draco c. 621 bce. Aristotle, the chief source for knowledge of Draco, claims that his were the first written Athenian laws and that Draco established a constitution enfranchising hoplites, the lower class soldiers.

Why did the Spartans lose?

The Sparta earthquake of 464 BC destroyed much of Sparta. Historical sources suggest that the death toll may have been as high as 20,000, although modern scholars suggest that this figure is likely an exaggeration. The earthquake sparked a revolt of the helots, the slave class of Spartan society.