The Athean Way!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth-c..._of_the_People

The key words in the openning paragraph of that link are "military dominance".

This is the period in which Athens truly became an empire. They did it with military might, and the will to fight.

However, when you look at the other key words, "put half of the population on the public payroll", you see what eventually lead to their downfall.

They ran out of other people's money.

When the other City States finally got tired of Athens' strong arm tactics, the result was the Peloponnesian Wars which proved to be the downfall of the Athenian Empire.

In short, they got fat, lazy, and forgot what got them there in the first place.

Sound familiar?

In Athens, the citizens did not, at first, believe the defeat. Plutarch, in his Life of Nicias, recounts how the news reached the city:

"It is said that the Athenians would not believe their loss, in a great degree because of the person who first brought them news of it. For a certain stranger, it seems, coming to Piraeus, and there sitting in a barber's shop, began to talk of what had happened, as if the Athenians already knew all that had passed; which the barber hearing, before he acquainted anybody else, ran as fast as he could up into the city, addressed himself to the Archons, and presently spread it about in the public Place. On which, there being everywhere, as may be imagined, terror and consternation, the Archons summoned a general assembly, and there brought in the man and questioned him how he came to know. And he, giving no satisfactory account, was taken for a spreader of false intelligence and a disturber of the city, and was, therefore, fastened to the wheel and racked a long time, till other messengers arrived that related the whole disaster particularly. So hardly was Nicias believed to have suffered the calamity which he had often predicted."

When the magnitude of the disaster became evident, there was a general panic. Attica seemed free for the taking, as the Spartans were so close by in Decelea.

The defeat caused a great shift in policy for many other states, as well. States which had until now been neutral joined with Sparta, assuming that Athens' defeat was imminent. Many of Athens' allies in the Delian League also revolted, and although the city immediately began to rebuild its fleet, there was little they could do about the revolts for the time being. The expedition and consequent disaster left Athens reeling. Some 10,000 hoplites had perished and, though this was a blow, the real concern was the loss of the huge fleet dispatched to Sicily. Triremes could be replaced, but the 30,000 experienced oarsmen lost in Sicily were irreplaceable and Athens had to rely on ill-trained slaves to form the backbone of her new fleet.

In 411 BC, the Athenian democracy was overthrown in favour of an oligarchy, and Persia joined the war on the Spartan side. Although things looked grim for Athens, they were able to recover for a few years. The oligarchy was soon overthrown, and Athens won the Battle of Cynossema; however, the defeat of the Sicilian expedition was essentially the beginning of the end for Athens. In 404 BC they were defeated and occupied by Sparta.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilia...enian_reaction

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Did those "other people" practice slavery? Of course they did, IBIDIOT. No wonder you're so interested in them.

Did those "other people" practice slavery? Of course they did, IBIDIOT. No wonder you're so interested in them. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

As a matter of fact, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM, if one wants to learn about Western civilization one must start with the Greeks. But that rebuts only one aspect of your stupid statement, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM.

You've already admitted that the Egyptians enslaved the Jews thousands of years ago, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM. You've just acknowledged that the Athenians had slaves thousands of years ago, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM. Whether or not you know it, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM, the Persians and the Spartans also had slaves thousands of years ago. On previous occasions, you've also acknowledged that the Nazis enslaved the Jews in the mid-twentieth century, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM. Hence, it's obvious that slavery has existed in every era of human history unto today, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM. Thus, you've admitted that you recognize how all of the evils of slavery cannot be reduced to and heaped into one region of the U.S. or a single four year period in American history, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM; thus, proving that your lying attempts to do so are as stupid as they are disingenuous.

ANOTHER CLASSIC MELTDOWN! Tomread your numerous bloviation, we've always had slavery, so it must be OK, right?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Seriously, though. Why are you such a proponent of slavery? Were you forced to mow the lawn and bus the tables at the children's home as a kid? Little black kids laughter at you?

Your mama refuse to breastfeed you? Your father stood in for her?

Can't figure it out. But You keep spouting your racial hatred and love for human bondage and eventually we'll figure it out.

Of course, it might only be that you're an uneducated shithead.

That would be too easy.

• ANOTHER CLASSIC MELTDOWN! Tomread your numerous bloviation, we've always had slavery, so it must be OK, right?
  
• HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
  
• Seriously, though. Why are you such a proponent of slavery? Were you forced to mow the lawn and bus the tables at the children's home as a kid? Little black kids laughter at you?
  
• Your mama refuse to breastfeed you? Your father stood in for her?
  
• Can't figure it out. But You keep spouting your racial hatred and love for human bondage and eventually we'll figure it out.
  
• Of course, it might only be that you're an uneducated shithead.
  
• That would be too easy.

Originally Posted by Yssup Rider

What melt down, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM?

Having the opportunity to show you for the stupid, lying mutha fucker you are is a public service, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM.

Evidently some Egyptian overseer genetically damaged one of your forebears with an ass-whipping that resulted in your latter day, stupid-ass, mongoloid birth, you Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM.

No balls left his glory hole long enough to babble his usual string of gibberish. Did you get full of sperm no balls?

No balls left his glory hole long enough to babble his usual string of gibberish. Did you get full of sperm no balls? Originally Posted by i'va biggen

Teach away "i'va biggen peater"...

Dinesh D'Souza made the point in his movie. Slavery was not uniquely American. It is universal. It existed long before this country was created. It was given to this country by the English, the French, the Dutch, and the Spanish. The native Americans also practiced slavery. Slavery exists today outside the US.

Teach away "i'va biggen peater"... Originally Posted by IIFFOFRDB

If you want to WK for no balls, and get a chance to shack up with him just PM him. You don't have to flirt with him through me whiffy.

Hey IIFFy, another pathetic hijack. At least you are predictable.

And JD, I missed where anyone ever said slavery was a uniquely American wrong. Did you know, murder happens in every corner of the world--does that lessen it when it happens here? I thought only IB felt that the sins of others was a a valid defense.

Hey IIFFy, another pathetic hijack. At least you are predictable.

And JD, I missed where anyone ever said slavery was a uniquely American wrong. Did you know, murder happens in every corner of the world--does that lessen it when it happens here? I thought only IB felt that the sins of others was a a valid defense. Originally Posted by Old-T

No, but I've many variations of the comment that "slavery is America's unique stain". Usually spoken by a leftist.

Hey IIFFy, another pathetic hijack. At least you are predictable.

And JD, I missed where anyone ever said slavery was a uniquely American wrong. Did you know, murder happens in every corner of the world--does that lessen it when it happens here? I thought only IB felt that the sins of others was a a valid defense. Originally Posted by Old-T

Your major error, Old-THUMPER, was imagining you "think". BTW, Old-THUMPER, it was your favorite butt-buddy, the Hitler worshipping, lying, hypocritical, racist, cum-gobbling golem fucktard, HDDB, DEM, that put took the thread away from its Athenian topic.

No balls left his glory hole long enough to babble his usual string of gibberish. Did you get full of sperm no balls? Originally Posted by i'va biggen

You're too much the egoist, Ekim the Inbred Chimp. This thread isn't about you despite your stupid attempts to make it so, Ekim the Inbred Chimp, and, btw, you're in the wrong forum to bragging about your extracurricular activities, Ekim the Inbred Chimp.