Veritas Card #14 (Green) - Pericles and the Peloponnesian War - 461- 404 B.C.
The most famous politician of this time period was Pericles, who dominated Athenian politics from 443 B.C. to 429 B.C. Athens became a wealthy city during this time period and was a center for the arts. This time period was known as the 'Golden Age'. During this Golden Age, the democratic system was developing well. There was a philosophy which taught that man is the measure of all things. Western civilization found its roots in Greek culture.
As time went on, Sparta became threatened because the influence of Athens was increasing, so there was tension. In order to prevent future attacks and protection for the city-states, the Delian League was formed. The league became a trade group in which Athens became very influential. Now the two groups fighting each other were Corinth and Corcyra. Corinth was supported by Sparta and Corcyra was supported by Athens. This is how the Peloponnesian War got started. Most of the battles took place in Peloponnesus, which was an area in the south part of Greece. The war lasted 30 years. Sparta defeated Athens in the end.
Also, during this time there was a plague, possibly the bubonic plague, which wiped out a quarter of the people. Pericles was one of the people who died from the plague. Here is a web site that describes this war: www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0838100.html
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