Ancient Athens consisted of two parts - the upper and lower cities surrounded by walls, and the port city of Piraeus connected to the cities by long walls. Athens was the center of arts, learning, philosophy, and birthplace of democracy in ancient Greece. However, resentment of Athens' power led to the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta-led coalition from 431 to 404 BC, ultimately resulting in Athens' defeat. Later, Athens formed new alliances during conflicts like the Corinthian War and established the Second Athenian League in response to Sparta's imperialist policies. Athenian democracy developed in the 6th century BC where citizens participated, though initially only free adult males constituting 30% of the population

1. Ancient Athens
The center for the arts, learning, philosophy
and the birthplace of Democracy

2. Athens consisted of two distinct parts:
 The City, properly so called, divided into The Upper City
or Acropolis, and The Lower City, surrounded with walls by
Themistocles.
 The port city of Piraeus, also surrounded with walls by
Themistocles and connected to the city with the Long
Walls, built under Conon and Pericles.

3. Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC)
 Resentment by other cities at the
hegemony of Athens led to
the Peloponnesian War in 431.
 The two sides were, Athens against a
coalition of states led by Sparta.
 The war ended with the complete defeat
of Athens in 404.

4. Corinthian War and the Second
Athenian League (395–355 BC)
 Sparta's imperialist policies led to turning
against former allies.
 Athens formed alliances with former enemies,
including Thebes and Corinth.
 Argos, Thebes, and Corinth fought against
Sparta.
 Athens established the Second Athenian
League in response to Sparta's actions.
 Thebes defeated Sparta in the Battle of
Leuctra (371 BC).

5. Athenian Democracy
 Athenian democracy developed in the 6th century BC
 Participation was open to adult, free male citizens,
constituting around 30% of the adult population.
 Solon, Cleisthenes, and Ephialtes contributed to the
development of Athenian democracy.
 Cleisthenes reformed the power of the nobility by
organizing citizens into ten groups based on
residency.
 Pericles was a prominent leader of Athenian
democracy.

6. The impact of the Athenian Culture
 Dramatists Aeschylus, Aristophanes, Euripides,
and Sophocles contributed to Greek theatre.
 Philosophers Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates
shaped Western intellectual history.
 Historians Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon
provided significant historical works.
 Poet Simonides and sculptor Phidias made
notable contributions.
 Monumental structures like the Parthenon were
built.
 Pericles referred to Athens as an "education for
Hellas" or "the school of Hellas."