This era of Greek history takes place after Greece's victory over Persia. It's most known for The Poleis  being at their most power full in both their militaristic and economical, as well as being fully innovative intellectually and productive in the arts.   The greatest invention in this Era is the creation of Philosophy.  This was the Era where the philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle appeared. This era is known for its Artistic and Intellectual strides rather than the political movements.

Link to Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotle

Science was different in this Era than the modern world is familiar with. Scientists were generally the same as their philosopher counterparts. It was not about being right, but the lessons learned. The Scientists wanted to understand how the universe around them works without writing the complex processes off as the will of the gods.   The true nature of their science was about inquiry of the rational kind and comprehending what they saw in a way they could understand. They believed Forces of nature like Fire, water and lightning were not supernatural, but actions with no real mind of their own.

Link to Image: https://brewminate.com/early-greek-science-thales-to-plato/

The Greeks came up with history in the way we use it today, and it hurts to think about the implications of what happened before they created it.  The Greeks created history as a sort of story that explained how and why something happened the way it did.  The founding father of Greek history writing was a man named Herodotus who sought to explain why people did what they did the way they did it in a way others could understand it and humans are complex, so we are still learning this one.  Herodotus did not sit around and Philosophize with his brethren he traveled around and looked for information that would answer his question and support his views, in the modern era we call this research and gathering evidence. He also brough ongoing relevant issues through other cultures and began to question on if it mattered which culture religion was truly "better" than the others.

Link to image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herodotus

Plato is one of the greatest and most well-known philosophers of the Greek classical era, Greek history and the world. He believed in essential truths, but also knew that the senses could be deceived and only through the most serious contemplation and discussion could we arrive at the inevitable, incorruptible truth.  Plato also believe that ideas were "more real than actual objects" this is probably due to the abstract nature of Ideas in general being stronger than their physical counter parts which Plato viewed ethics in the same way.  Plato believed that the education of future leaders was a matter of grave importance and believe in Philosopher - kings, which inspired many rulers to base their reign off his ideas up to the modern era. He also founded a school, the Academy in Athens, which was one of the most important centers in Greece.  Ironically Plato's student was another famous Philosopher, Aristotle.  Aristotle argued with his teacher about what he learned as he believes that the senses while imperfect are still reliable and necessary  to understand the worrld and ideas around us.

Link to Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato

Athens was the most important city in ancient Greece. It was where the Philosopher Plato began his work and taught other philosopher and is the birthplace of democracy.  Athens was considered the dominant power in Greece for a time after the Persian wars, but that changed after they went to war with sparta and political supremacy shofted. After several years of war Athens agreed to Sparta's suggestion of a peace treaty for fifty years, but it only lasted six due to the Greeks attacking Sicily which was controlled by Sparta.  After Greece was beaten the heart of their culture lived on, but disorder reigned as they were eventually conquered by Alexander The Great and Thus ended the Classical Era and Began the Hellenic Era.

Citation: "Classical Greece." In Gale World History Online Collection. Detroit, MI: Gale, 2023. Gale In Context: World History (accessed October 26, 2024). https://link-gale-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/apps/doc/OORDVH933286042/WHIC?u=viva2_nvcc&sid=bookmark-WHIC&xid=cd9d98fb. 

Link to article:https://go-gale-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Reference&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&retrievalId=7dec4c95-1dca-4687-ae47-545c35d1d34b&hitCount=491&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=3&docId=GALE%7COORDVH933286042&docType=Topic+overview&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=ZXAG-MOD1&prodId=WHIC&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7COORDVH933286042&searchId=R1&userGroupName=viva2_nvcc&inPS=true

Link to Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens