Greek History & Politics

30 Years’ Peace

A treaty signed between Athens and Sparta in 446/445 BCE intended to prevent conflict, though it only lasted 15 years.

Alexander the Great

The Macedonian king who conquered the Persian Empire and spread Greek culture across the Middle East and Egypt.

Aristocracy

"Rule by the best"; a government where power is held by the nobility or elite families.

Athenian Navy

The backbone of Athens' power, consisting of triremes manned by the poorer citizens (thetes).

Battle of Marathon

490 BCE; a shock Athenian victory against the first Persian invasion.

Battle of Plataea

479 BCE; the final land battle that ended the second Persian invasion.

Battle of Salamis

480 BCE; a decisive naval victory for the Greeks that destroyed much of the Persian fleet.

Battle of Thermopylae

480 BCE; the "300 Spartans" held a narrow pass against the massive Persian army to buy time for Greece.

Cleisthenes

The "Father of Athenian Democracy" who reformed the political system into ten tribes.

Cyrus I

Founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire.

Delian League

An alliance of Greek city-states led by Athens to fight Persia, which eventually became the Athenian Empire.

Democracy

"Rule by the people"; a system where citizens vote directly on laws and policy.

Hoplite

The standard heavily armed Greek infantryman who fought in a phalanx formation.

Ionian Revolt

An uprising of Greek cities in Asia Minor against Persian rule, which triggered the Persian Wars.

Late Bronze Age Collapse

A period around 1200 BCE marked by the mysterious fall of the Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations.

Macedon

A kingdom north of Greece that eventually conquered the Greek city-states under Philip II and Alexander.

Medizing

The "traitorous" act of a Greek city-state siding with the Persians.

Monarchy

Rule by a single hereditary king.

Oligarchy

"Rule by the few"; usually a small group of wealthy or powerful individuals.

Ostracism

A democratic process where Athenians voted to exile a citizen for ten years to prevent tyranny.

Peloponnesian War

The massive conflict (431–404 BCE) between the Athenian Empire and the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta.

Pericles

The leading Athenian statesman during the Golden Age who championed democracy and the building of the Parthenon.

Philip II

The King of Macedon who reformed the army and brought Greece under his control before being assassinated.

Polis

The Greek city-state, an independent urban center and its surrounding territory.

The ‘First’ Peloponnesian War

An earlier (460–445 BCE) series of conflicts between Athens and Sparta before the "Great" war.

Themistocles

The Athenian politician who convinced the city to build a massive navy to defeat Persia.

Tyrant (Tyrannos)

A ruler who seized power unconstitutionally, often with popular support.

Xerxes

The Persian King who led the second massive invasion of Greece in 480 BCE.