This chapter sets the stage to gain greater understanding of Sicilian historical events of the 5th century BC, by exploring the parallel events occurring on the Greek Mainland, during the same period. Known as the Golden Age of Greek civilization, the 5th century BC witnessed the Persian Wars, the construction of the Parthenon in Athens, the rise of the Athenian Empire, and its wars against Sparta and its allies. This was also a period where Greek arts, philosophy and culture flourished and spread around the ancient world.
The chapter covers the significance of the Persian Wars (490–479 BC), explaining how a united Greek world defeated successive invasions by the massive and powerful Persian Empire, and how this victory created the conditions for Greek cultural supremacy across the Mediterranean. It examines the rise of Athens and Sparta, their rivalry during the Peloponnesian War, and the eventual decline of the Greek mainland city-states under pressure from Macedon. Understanding this context is essential because these key events of mainland Greece had a profound impact on the events occurring in Greek Sicily during the same period.
