As early as 900 B.C., Greece again expanded contacts with civilizations to the east, and Greek civilization became more complex. The rise of empires, most notably the Athenian Empire, brought a more sophisticated economy, trade, colonization, and war.

• The Renaissance of the Eighth Century B.C.
• Colonies in the Mediterranean
• The Rise of Athens and Sparta
• The Persian Wars
• The Athenian Empire
• The Peloponnesian War
• The Polis in Decline, 400-335 B.C.