History Shorts: The Death of Socrates (399 B.C.)

Socrates annoyed Athenians. He was vocally anti-democratic and critical of the ability of the masses to make informed decisions. Also, some of his students turned traitor during the Peloponnesian War. Lastly, his students were young aristocrats meaning Socrates teachings could undermine Athens itself. As a result, the city tried the philosopher for corrupting the youth and impiety (he also questioned the existence of the gods). His fellow citizens found him guilty and sentenced Socrates to death. In 399 B.C., he drank hemlock ending his life. Interestingly, Socrates was offered the opportunity to escape into exile, but declined. Perhaps he was curious about what comes after death.

Although Socrates trial is fascinating in itself, the philosopher is an important figure in world civilization. He changed the nature of western philosophy. Pre-Socratics focused on the physical nature of the universe. Socrates introduced the question-answer-question method of inquiry. After Socrates, philosophers began searching for truth. His method is still used in classrooms and law schools to this day.

Here is Socrates in popular culture:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EwaFkPMdlY

The Trial of Socrates:

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/socrates/socrates.HTM

History Shorts: The Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.)

Athens angered many of their neighbors. Following the Persian War, the Greeks formed a defensive alliance in the event of a Persian return. Athens came to dominate this Delian League and grew into a superpower that bullied its neighbors. Eventually, Sparta and Athens came to blows launching a conflict which lasted nearly 30 years.

The Peloponnesian War can be split into three phases. During the first phase (431-421 B.C.), Sparta assaulted Athenian interests in Attica. In 421 B.C., the two sides signed the Peace of Nicias ending hostilities. The second phase (415-413 B.C.) began when Alcibiades convinced Athenians to relaunch the war with an invasion of Syracuse. The invasion proved disastrous for Athens. Alcibiades ended up switching sides ushering in the third phase (413-404 B.C.) The final phase of the war witnessed an unlikely alliance between Persia and Sparta. The destruction of the Athenian fleet essentially ended the conflict.

The war devastated Athens. It never again threatened its neighbors. Athens' days as a superpower had ended. The victorious Spartans were mortally wounded in the conflict. The Macedonians eventually conquered all of Greece ushering in the age of Alexander.

Here is a clever video on the Peloponnesian War:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZzyuw_lBTM

History Shorts: Parthenon construction begins (447 B.C.)

Following the Persian War, Athens emerged as a regional super power. As a power, Athens led the Delian League which was a defensive alliance of Greek city states. The league formed to counter the Persian threat. Eventually, Athens came to dominate the Delian League and used its treasury to beautify the city. In 480 B.C., the Persians destroyed the Temple of Athena. Athens rebuilt the temple using Delian League members dues. Construction began in 447 B.C. and was completed in 432 B.C.  The structure became a symbol of Classical Greece and Athenian Democracy. However, Delian League members grew to resent Athens for spending their dues on Athenian beautification. Resentment increased when the league's treasury moved to the Parthenon. Anger over Athenian dominance eventually led to the Peloponnesian War. Today, Greece is working to restore and refurbish the structure.

 Building the Parthenon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVgfAd1Yz6M

The Parthenon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQPbGYR1jgs&feature=related

History Shorts: Plataea and the end of the Persian War (479 B.C.)

The final major battle of the Persian War was fought at Plataea. An alliance of Greek city states, including Athens and Sparta, defeated Xerxes and the Persians. The year before, Xerxes defeated the Spartan defenders at Thermopylae, conquered Attica, and torched Athens. However, his naval defeat at Salamis left the conquest incomplete. In 479 B.C., the Persians looked to finish off the Greeks. After an eleven day stalemate, the Persians believed the Greeks were retreating. In reality, the Greeks were reorganizing due to a disrupted supply line. The Persians attacked and were routed. On the same day, the Persian navy was also routed in battle. Afterward, the Greeks spent 30 years clearing the Persians out of their territory. The victory led to the rise of modern western civilization with modern philosophy and democracy. It also created a Persian boogeyman for Alexander the Great to exploit and later destroy.


Here is how Hollywood and Frank Miller depicted the engagement: It includes the typical inspirational speech which predicts the rise of Western Civilization. The Greeks did not dress like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFOl-QXpLc4

History Shorts: The Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.)

Following the Battle of Thermopylae, a Greek fleet under Athenian command engaged the Persian invasion fleet. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Greeks achieved a dramatic victory sinking or capturing 300 enemy vessels. Persian King Xerxes retreated back to Asia. The Persians and Greeks fought a final, decisive battle the following year at Plataea.

Here is a compilation someone threw together to portray the battle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGWO7qog-_0

History Shorts: 300 Spartans at Thermopylae (480 B.C.)

After the failure of the initial invasion, the Persians returned to conquer and punish the Greeks. The Athenians defeated Persia at Marathon in 490 B.C. In 480 B.C., they returned with a vengeance. 7,000 Greeks marched to meet the Persians at Thermopylae. They hoped to block or delay the Persian advance by positioning themselves at the pass. They held a massive Persian army at bay for a week. During the battle, a force of 300 Spartans led by King Leonidas fought the Persians to a standstill. However, a Greek traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians around the Spartans leading to their annihilation. Afterward, an enraged Xerxes beheaded and crucified Leonidas' body. Although defeated, the Spartans provided valuable time for the Greek forces to prepare for the culminating battles of the Persian War. Additionally, it allowed the citizens of Athens to escape before the Persians took the city. Those that remained were killed and the city burned.


Thermopylae lives on in pop culture through Frank Miller's Graphic Novel, 300 which was later turned into a film. There was also a 1962 film, 300 Spartans which recounts the battle.

Spartans vs. The Immortals:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou-y56B1bxQ

The Spartans last stand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kuna7sC5ek&feature=related

History Shorts: The Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.)

Around 500 B.C., Ionia revolted against Persian rule. Greece helped the rebels which angered the highly aggressive Persians. The Persian King Darius reestablished control over the rebellious city states and then launched a punitive expedition against Greece. In 490 B.C., Athens defeated the Persians at Marathon. Darius retreated back to Asia with his tail between his legs ending the first Persian invasion. Following the failure, Darius faced an Egyptian revolt which prevented a second invasion during his lifetime. The Battle of Marathon proved the Greeks could not only stand up to the powerful Persian Empire, but defeat it. Had the Greeks failed, western history would have been dramatically different. Classical Greece would never have developed to inspire and shape European history. Following the victory, a messenger raced from Marathon to Athens to deliver word of the victory. The run inspired the modern marathon.



The Battle of Marathon (from Battles B.C.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sa8RM2pQjeY

The 1979 Boston Marathon (The modern marathon was inspired by the battle):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yTVylg2xCM

History Shorts: Solon and Athenian Reform (594 B.C.)

Solon was a reformer in Ancient Athens. He laid the groundwork for Democracy while reforming the city states' economic, political, and legal systems. Solon made the law fairer and punishments less extreme. After Solon, people did not have to worry about the death penalty for minor offenses.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQUYwDi08v4

Turning Points: The Peloponnesian War (431-401 BC)

Following the Persian War, Athenian power rose unchallenged. They formed the Delian League which was meant to defend Greece against Persia. However, as the Persian threat never returned, the Athenians turned the League into their Empire. They went as far as using Delian League revenue for the beautification of Athens. When we think of the Greek Golden Age of art and architecture, this is it.

Delian League members resented Athenian power and dominance. Eventually, Sparta felt threatened and war broke out. Athens held the advantage at sea while Sparta held the advantage on land. As a result, Athenian leader Pericles’ strategy was to avoid combat on land. He pulled the population inside the Walls of Athens. Sparta devastated the land, but a stalemate developed. Neither side could win. On top of this, the boneheaded Athenian strategy led to an outbreak of plague which killed Pericles and many Athenians. The war’s first stage ended in 421 BC with the Peace of Nicias.

In 415 BC, the war began anew. Athenian aristocrat Alcibiades persuaded his fellow citizens to renew the war. Athenian general Nicias tried to dissuade the voters from going back to war with Sparta. He put forth a well thought out logical argument for keeping the peace. On the other hand, Alcibiades made an Obama-esque appeal to the population. Fluff trumped logic. Athens invaded Sicily and got creamed.

After the destruction of the Athenian Expeditionary Force, Alcibiades switched sides lest he face the death penalty for the Athenian military disaster. Meanwhile, Sparta launched a new offensive. In 413 BC, Sparta supported rebellions against Athens throughout the Greek world. In particular, Athens lost key ports to these rebellions. This nullified their naval superiority. Sparta, with Persian financial assistance, was able to finally defeat Athens. The Athenians sued for Peace.

After the surrender, Athenian democracy was suspended. They were ruled by the “Thirty Tyrants” for a short period. Athenian power was broken. Sparta continued to be a power until they were defeated in 371 BC by Thebes. Eventually, the Macedonians conquered both. As a side note, the defeat of Athens led to the rise of Greek Philosophers such as Socrates and Plato that held democracy in contempt.

Turning Points in History: Athenian Democracy

In honor of the Iranian Uprising...(unless they decide to after the Mullahs and the Military switches sides, that revolt will probably fail)...

But, I digress, here's a brief look at Athenian Democracy...

Athenian Democracy did not appear over night. It evolved out of social unrest between social classes. As a result, Solon emerged to fix those tensions. He compromised between the demands of the people and the demands of the aristocrats. Solon created a governmental system based on wealth as opposed to birth. However, most leaders were those old aristocrats, but anyone could emerge to be a leader under this system if they had the money. In the old system, a person would have to be a Kennedy or Roosevelt to participate. In the new system, Bill Gates could participate as well.

From Solon, Athens evolved into a direct democracy. People represented themselves as opposed to voting on representatives. Everyone voted and participated. Those that refused to participate were punished. The system was open to all adult male citizens of Athens. The main flaw in the system was it’s susceptibility to the passions of the people. Great orators often swayed the electorate into following their policies even when those policies made little logical sense. Alcibiades provides the best example as he convinced Athens to resume a costly war with Sparta.

Athens’ democratic system remained intact until the Spartans temporarily replaced it. An oligarchy ruled for about a year before being overthrown. Democracy returned until the Macedonian Conquest in 322 BC. After the Roman conquest, a localized version of democracy existed in Athens for a time before being extinguished until the modern era. Athenian Democracy (and the Roman Republic) became an inspiration for America’s Founding Fathers, but they also learned from Athenian (and Roman) mistakes.