ipl-logo

Rise And Fall Of Early Empires Essay

599 Words3 Pages

The Rise and Fall of Early Empires Although both Athens and the early Roman Republic were small city-states, they both acquired empires through victories in war. The Delian League in Athens, however, failed to last longer than a century whereas the Roman empire of provinces was able to endure for centuries. The Athenians were so determined to maintain their control that they essentially bullied the smaller city-states in the Delian League to try and keep them in line. They took advantage of money, resources and military. This tactic, unfortunately, was the ultimate cause for their untimely demise at the hand of Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. The Romans, however, created a system of checks and balances that allowed for their empire to …show more content…

(Delian League) All Greek city-states were encouraged to join in order to protect themselves fro the Persians. Athens, after helping some of the smaller city-states to defend the Ionian coast from Persian overlords, became overwhelmingly arrogant of their continued success and wanted to continue the League. They began to force smaller cities to remain in the League and to continue to pay their membership dues to the League treasury, which had been re-located to Athens shortly after their victory over the Persians. Athens then proceeded to use these dues to finance their rebuild of the city, building brash and costly structures such as the Acropolis and the Parthenon. (Rise and Fall of Athenian Greatness) Athens had also begun to exploit the League’s navy, using it for their own benefit and intentions. (Delian League) It wasn’t long before the other city-states began to get fed up with the way Athens was ruling and soon, Sparta challenged Athens by forming its own league, the Peloponnesian League and in 431 BCE, the Peloponnesian War ensued. Athens was unavoidably defeated and the Delian League was dissolved when the war concluded in 404 BCE. (Rise and Fall of Athenian

Show More
Related
444 Words | 2 Pages

After the formation of the Hellenic League which successfully repelled Persia from Greece, the alliance broke up into two major forces. Thucydides claims “at the head of the one stood Athens, at the head of the other Lacedaemon, one the first naval, the other the first military power in Hellas.” (1.18) Athens and allies became the Delian League, which continued fighting in Asia Minor in order to conquer and liberate Persian controlled Greek states, and Sparta and allies formed the Peloponnesian League. However, once peace had been established with Persia in 449, the Delian League was reformed and Athens held hegemony over the allies and utilized them as tribute paying subjects.

Read More
394 Words | 2 Pages

When the Persian menace faded, some city-states attempted to leave the Delian league due to the exorbitant "membership fees," but Athens refused and attacked them. So, at the start of the Delian league, everything was bright and all the city-states were equal. After a while, all of the power and financial resources transferred to Athens, and the league was governed as if it were one of their manageable sponsors. All of this contributed to Athens becoming a powerful city-state and ushering in the Golden Age. The more powerful Athens became, the more enemies it

Read More
1182 Words | 5 Pages

But the Romans did not have any planning and that is why the empire grew weaker and weaker. The soldiers did not know how to fight anymore and were badly injured because of the decision to not wear armor. The Roman military was no match to some other armies but most importantly the Huns, a group that exceeded the rate of which they conquered everything in their path. They are very tough and will not back down without a challenge. Document D describes the Huns, ”Fired with an overwhelming desire for seizing the properties of others, the Swift moving and ungovernable people make their destructive way amid the pillage and slaughter of those who live around them” The fall of Rome is Attributed to invasions and Military break down because of this very purpose, there was finally a group that could overtake and overpower the army.

Read More
581 Words | 3 Pages

The Roman Empire lasted about 500 years from about 47 BC to AD 476. It started in Italy and eventually extended throughout Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Julius Caesar became dictator for life and was assassinated by the senate, however this began the transfer from a republic to an empire. The Roman Empire grew over time, getting bigger. Although it thrived, it fell around 476 C.E because of major issues.

Read More
568 Words | 3 Pages

First, the most successful empires used a government system to rule over their people. The Aztecs turned each town into a city-state. Then, each city-state became unified into an empire. They had a supreme political leader who represented the gods. To decide, a council of people aided the emperor.

Read More
1093 Words | 5 Pages

Specifically the greek empire, which was unlike previous Persian, Egyptian, and Babylonian empires, becaused it was not built through conquest or discovery, but rather trade. Furthermore they were extremely notorious for their fierce naval fleet and remarkable philosophers, however their greed and rapid power was inevitably their demise. The empire initially began in 479 BC, when the greek city states united in order to beat Persia, in the Persian War. Later on, Athens was assigned to command the fleet and therefore the entire Delian league. Before long, Athens controlled

Read More
250 Words | 1 Pages

With the withdrawal of Sparta and the Peloponnesian leagues, a congress was called on the island of Delos to institute a new alliance to continue the fight against the Persians. According to Thucydides, the official aim of the League was to "avenge the wrongs they suffered by ravaging the territory of the king." In reality, this goal was divided into three main efforts— to prepare for future invasion, to seek revenge against Persia, and to organize a means of dividing spoils of war. League members swore to have the same friends and enemies, and dropped ingots of iron into the sea to symbolize the permanence of their alliance. Over time, especially with the suppression of rebellions, Athens exercised hegemony over the rest of the league.

Read More
617 Words | 3 Pages

The expansion of the Roman Empire led to a greater divide between the rich and poor, a heavy reliance on agriculture, and more war. Those are just a few of the social, economic, and political changes that occurred in the Roman Empire during its expansion. In documents 5, 6, 7, and 9, the social changes of the Roman Empire are brought to light. Document 5 illustrates how the divide between the rich and poor classes widened.

Read More
678 Words | 3 Pages

According to Brand (n.d.): Athens and Sparta societies are two of the most successful and influential city-state of Ancient Greece. While Athens has a democratic, Sparta on the other hand ruled in the oligarchic structured political system. Attica cultivated the Athenian society as Peloponnesian Peninsula, set as the birth of Spartan community. Athenian society beyond being a democratic government, class-based system is present.

Read More
504 Words | 3 Pages

Unlike the Romans, Athenians had a strict but fair schedule that allowed them to enjoy citizenship equally. Equally, hard workers have brought Athens power just as much as hereditary leaders. According to Document B all citizens should be allowed to speak their opinion and have a share in election because of the hard work they do to make the city powerful. Athenians allowed poor and common men to win a position in government which was a transition from the wealthy having power to everyone having power.

Read More
664 Words | 3 Pages

Pericles argues that Athens has become a model for others, and articulates what it is to be a good citizen. This can be seen when he says, “although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality; trusting less in system and policy than to the native spirit of our citizens; while in education, where our rivals from their very cradles by a painful discipline seek after manliness, at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate danger.” (Thucydides, 2.39) It proves that Ancient Athens’ valued greatness and worked in order to achieve the excellence of the state, by focusing on rebuilding themselves back up after the Persian war. Pericles played a big role in this because he showed his ambitions to rebuild Athens, which lead to the thriving of other subjects such as literature, philosophy, science, art, and religion.

Read More
875 Words | 4 Pages

Athens organized a group of Greek city states into the Delian League and eventually lead and dominated all of the city states in the League. Athens’s military prowess allowed them to look down on the other members of the League and treat them as members of an empire instead of equals. This caused some to view them with hostility which sparked the conflicts between Athens and Sparta that lead to the Peloponnesian War. The direct democracy of Athens wasn’t actually as inclusive and steady as the statement at Pericles 's funeral state, “Our Constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people (Doc C).” In fact, of the 450,000 citizens of Athens in 430 BC, only about 40,000 people had the power to vote.

Read More
466 Words | 2 Pages

xplain how successful the Delian League was... The Delian League relished some outstanding victories… One of the victory was in terms of military, these included the Thracian Chersonese battle, the Eion war, and the famous Battle of Eurymedon that occurred in 466 BCE. All the wars were fought against Persian forces. As a result Persian barracks were detached from Chersonesus and Thrace. During 450 BCE the Delian League appeared to have attained its goal if the Kallias peace was to be well-thought-out as genuine.

Read More
817 Words | 4 Pages

So because of the Roman soldier being replaced by German mercenaries and the stoppage of expansion the Roman military lost its power. When the invasions of the western tribes came and destroyed Rome, there was nothing they could

Read More
1565 Words | 7 Pages

The Legacy of the Roman Empire The ancient Roman saying states: All roads lead to Rome! And this was true, in this essay I will show what great achievements and inventions happened during the plus minus 500 years from 27 Before Common Era, to 476 Common Era, in the Roman Empire and argue how these achievements and inventions still have influences in our everyday life and the modern world we live in today. Of course the Roman Empire consisted of more than just Roads, the Roman legislative system, their customs and traditions, religions, social structure, political system, art, architecture, writing, philosophy, citizenship, language use and military advancements held their Empire and their citizens together. I will reflect and show, how some of these tools the Romans used almost 2000 years ago, still live on through us today.

Read More

More about Rise And Fall Of Early Empires Essay

Related Topics

Open Document