Medea and Electra | Historical Background

Historical Background
The achievements of Greece in its classic period have been considered unparalleled in the history of Western civilization. In 511 B.C., a political leader named Cleisthenes overthrew Athens’ last tyrant and instituted a radical form of government called democracy. Against a background of almost constant turmoil—first, the victorious struggle against Persian invaders that ended with the battle of Salamis in 480 B.C., then later the unsuccessful Peloponnesian wars against Sparta—Athens built, and then lost, an empire. During this time, her...

[The entire page is 2189 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...