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The 5th Century BCE, known as the Warring City-States Era, was a time of unrest and decline in Greece—long before the rise of Alexander the Great.
It began with fire and resistance. The mighty Persian Empire, stretching from Asia to the Aegean, sought to conquer Greece. But against all odds, the city-states pushed back. At Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis, they stood their ground. For a moment, the scattered poleis fought side by side.
But victory brought not unity—only rivalry.
Athens, empowered by its naval triumphs, rose into an empire. Sparta, wary and proud, clung to its land-bound strength. Thebes, ever ambitious, waited for its chance. The alliances formed in war quickly turned into bitter power struggles.
Smaller city-states were caught in the middle—plagued by corruption, sold into foreign wars, or ruled by councils who served themselves. Mercenaries became currency. Laws bent to the will of the rich. In many places, justice meant nothing.
Religion, too, began to fade. Shrines stood empty. Oracles gave no answers. The gods, it seemed, had turned their backs.
This was an age of fractured glory—where heroes had once stood together, but now swords were drawn not for honor, but for control.
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