Abstract | Zlatno doba Atene ili pentekontaetija označava pedeset godina atenske povijesti između bitke kod Salamine 480.g. pr. Kr. i početka Peloponeskog rata 430.g. pr. Kr. Iako mnogi povjesničari ne mogu sa sigurnošću reći da je pentekontaetija točno kronološki definirana, sigurni smo u činjenicu da je za to vrijeme Atena bila na svom vrhuncu. Najviše podataka saznajemo od Tukidida, koji je za razliku od svojih predaka, pouzdan starogrčki povjesničar. Ono što je najviše obilježilo doba pentekontaetije su prosperitet, ratovi, razvoj grada i umjetnosti, savezništva i neprijateljstva. Najbitnija ličnost iz ovog doba je Periklo, atenski strateg, vrstan govornik i vojskovođa. Tada je atenska demokracija dosegla svoj vrhunac, a Atena postala najljepši i najbogatiji grad panhelenskog saveza. Nalazila se na čelu Delskog saveza iz kojeg se kasnije razvio Atenski pomorski savez. Sparta, kao glavni suparnik Atene, nije raspolagala tolikom snagom i bogatstvom, stoga su se ostali gradovi počeli okupljati oko Atene, ignorirajući Spartu,što je bio glavni uzrok konflikta između tih dvaju polisa. Kasnije, radi miješanja u unutarnje poslove savezničkih gradova, dolazi do negativnih reakcija. U slučaju sukoba sa saveznicima, Atena je bila u velikoj prednosti, gradove je razdvajalo more kojim je gospodarima atenska flota, zato im je bilo teško ujediniti snage protiv nje, a pojedinačni pokušaji da se napusti savez su bili odmah spriječeni. Međutim, atenska politika se nije uvijek zasnivala na sili. Uspostavila je bolje ekonomske veze i suradnju i time je poraslo bogatstvo ostalih gradova. Zbog svoje pretjerane pohlepe i želje da zavladaju ostalim grčkim polisima, Atena ulazi u mnogo sukoba koji su je postupno slabili, te je malo po malo prestala biti prekomjerno dominantna u odnosu na ostale polise. |
Abstract (english) | The Golden Age of Athens marks the fifty years of Athenian history between the battle of Salamine 480 BC and the beginning of Peloponnesian War 430 BC. Although many historians can not say with certainty that pentekonteatiae is correctly chronologically defined, we are sure that Athens was at its peak at that time. Most of the information we find out from Thucydides, who is, unlike his ancestors, a reliable historian from Ancient Greece. Things that marked the era of pentekontaetia are prosperity, wars, the development of city and art, making alliances and enemies. The most prominent personality of this era is Pericles, Athenian strategist, a powerfull orator and a leader. At that time, Athenian democracy reached its peak, and Athens became the most beautiful and richest city of the Panhelian alliance. She was the leader of Delian League, from which the Athenian Empire was born later on. Sparta, as the main rival of Athens, did not have so much power and wealth, so other cities began to gather around Athens ignoring Sparta, which was the main cause of the conflict between these two polis. Later, because of the interference in internal affairs of allied cities, some negative reactions occur. In the event of a conflict with the allies, Athens was in great advantage, cities were separated by the sea full of Atheninan fleet, so it was difficult to unite forces against it, and individual attempts to leave the alliance were immediately blocked. However, Athenian politics did not always rely on the force. It has created better economic ties and cooperation, and thus has increased the wealth of other cities. Because of their exessive greed and the desire to dominate other polis, Athens enters into many conflicts that gradually made her weaker and little by little, she ceased to be the dominant force in relation to other polis. |