Athens's Democracy

Athens's dominant position in the middle of the fifth century was based on their dominance of the sea. They formed an alliance with other city states for defensive purposes, called the delian league. Ultimately, athens's overweening power provoked a back lash from an alliance of city states led by sparta. This was the peloponnesian war, a protracted conflict which finally led to the breaking of athenian hegemone in 404 b c.