Behind the fascinating stories of heroism and great philosophical manuscripts, the creation and prosperity of the ancient Greek city-states did not happen suddenly or easily. of other contemporary civilizations such as Egypt or Mesopotamia, the ancient Greeks did not have the luxury of depending on the fertile soil of a river valley for agriculture. Nor did the different mountain ranges offer the opportunity for unity among the different peoples who lived there. However, the Aegean Sea would prove to be a lifeline for many potential city-states, serving as a source of food, water, and trade. Moving across the fertile plains from 1100 BC to 800 BC during the Dark Ages, the ancient Greeks initially thrived in isolated poleis, where they cultivated their own separate civilizations. One such polis that would eventually rise to power over the rest of ancient Greece would be the settlement first established by the Ionians in Attica, Athens. Similar to other civilizations of its time, Athens began as a theocracy. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay However, the Athenians eventually respected human intelligence more than divine beings, although religion did not disappear completely, "As Greek rationalism gained influence, traditional religions beliefs and restrictions or were made to conform more closely to the demands of reason or became weakened through neglect and disuse.” Great thinkers for their time, the ancient Athenians were among the first to set aside the ideals of human powerlessness against divine interventions or the desires of gods and demons Athenians place their society on the foundation of rationalism, in which logic and reason dictate human behavior and decisions. With a society founded on the foundations of rationalism, Athenians would conceive of a radical form of government that would serve as one of their sources of success and pride, democracy. The road that ultimately leads to that ideal government for Athens still presents many obstacles. Athens went through many government transitions, from “rule by a king (monarchy), rule by the landed aristocracy (oligarchy), rule by one man who took power (tyranny), and rule by the people (democracy).” Cleisthenes, “a pro-democracy aristocrat,” established democracy as a permanent form of government in Athens with the introduction of ostracism and the creation of the Assembly, “the supreme authority of the state open to all male citizens.” After the Persian Wars, Athenian democracy strengthened, forming the concept of isonomy and the Council of Five Hundred. Civilians thrived in the political atmosphere, although in reality aristocrats would dominate political life. Although Athens holds a powerful position among other Greek city-states, it was not alone. Other poleis prospered during the Hellenistic age, a period of great progress but also of violence and tragedy, especially Sparta. Rivaling in both military strength and political influence, Sparta was Athens' primary adversary. Coming from the ancient Dorians who settled on the Peloponnese peninsula, the Spartans were almost entirely opposed to Athenian ideals. The Spartans were a highly militarized race; the main focus of a Spartan's life was centered on the state. Whether a person was a heavily trained soldier on the battlefield or a slave creating pottery, every effort was made to benefit the state. Sparta was closed; their sense of freedom meant independence from foreigners and relied more on internal power. Citizenship camegranted to those born in Sparta with a lineage dating back to the original Doric settlers. Sparta however, eventually elevated in status, in 500 BC Sparta became the leader of the Peloponnesian League, an alliance of southern Greek city-states whose land forces were superior to those of any combination of Greek cities. Sparta, however, was concerned with protecting its position, not with expansion. Prudent...and always fearful. Sparta considered the Peloponnesian League an instrument of defense rather than aggression. Witnessing the expansion of Athens' Delian League into the Mediterranean only made Sparta more cautious. Conflicting visions of freedom, citizenship, and protection over expansion ended up plunging both the powerful Delian League of Athens and the Peloponnesian League of Sparta into war. Finally, in 431 BC, Peloponnesian land forces invaded and burned Attica. In response to the first deaths in this new war, later to be called the Peloponnesian War, Pericles is chosen to speak on behalf of the fallen soldiers. Reconstructed and recorded in Thucydides' book on the Peloponnesian War, written thirty-one years after the event, Pericles' speech for the Athenian dead stands as a humble gesture of honor and praise for the soldiers who fell in battle. A formal ceremony held solemnly by the Athenians during every war, the act of such a burial ceremony demonstrates that such rituals are established by institution and tradition, rather than religious obligation. Instead of continuing to talk about topics such as death and honor, Pericles turns his attention to the current state of Athens, in which he proclaims that the state of Athens is above all else: "'Let me say that our system of government [democracy] does not not copy the institutions of our neighbors. It is rather about our being a model for others.”' Pericles' words clearly show the praise of Athenian democracy and its superiority over others as model He goes on to talk about the Athenian lifestyle and recreational activities, so as to further position Athens as the pinnacle of civilization. In the next section of his speech, Pericles goes on to talk about Sparta, in many different topics, from military stratagem, to education of youth, and also on the basis of courage. He undermines the sacredness of Spartan courage, calling it “state-induced” compared to the “natural” courage of the Athenians. Pericles points out that, unlike other Greek city-states, Athens takes seriously the role of citizens in his government, “'...we do not say that a man who is not interested in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say he has no business here.'' Pericles makes several statements as if to assert that politics is what makes Athens and what makes a man worthy of living in it. To return to the point about Athenian greatness, Pericles mentions Athens' good intentions towards its neighbors by "doing good to others, not receiving good from them." From a partial Athenian point of view this may be the case, as Athens created the Delian League to protect weaker city-states from foreign invasions. However, in reality, the smaller poleis were not conducive to Athenian imperialism, as they felt that Athens was only using them for profit (and they were). Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essayPericles mentions his words of advice to parents, in which they should be proud that they complained about such honorable relatives, to brothers that their successes in life will never compare with the sacrifice of the fallen, and the glory of women is great , but never above a man. Overall, the speech of.