Classical Athens
Athens (Ancient Greek: Ἀθῆναι, Athênai), was a prominent city-state (polis) of ancient Greece during the classical period (480–323 BC), in the peninsula of Attica. Athens was a centre for the arts, learning, and philosophy, and is widely referred to as a cradle of Western civilization largely due to the impact of its cultural and political achievements during the 5th and 4th centuries BC. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC and, with a few brief interruptions, remained in place for 180 years.