Investigation On Athenian Democracy During The Late Fifth Century B.C.

Athens was in the special historical period from heyday to defeat in the late fifth century B.C.. As witnesses to Athenian social history, Pseudo-Xenophon and Thucydides both published relevant works which expressed their views about Athenian democracy during the period. Athens, as the marine overlord of ancient Gr eece, owned a powerful force so that it was firmly in control of the Aegean Sea and ?allies? of Delian League by the means of economic, legal and other ways, and thus obtained sufficient material supply, considerable treasury income, rich overseas estate and many other benefits. During the Peloponnesian War, especially after the failure of Sicilian expedition in 413 B.C., the economic and political struggles within different classes and political leaders were increasingly serious, and some people even overthrew democracy and established the oligarchic government. Athenian democracy was Athenians? democracy but not all at that time, which was based on the exploitation for non-Athenians. As the result of imperial democracy, Athens ultimately failed in the war and paid a heavy price.