What event led to the unification of ancient Greek city-states?
The event that led to the unification of ancient Greek city-states was the Persian Wars. In the early 5th century BCE, the Persian Empire, under the rule of King Darius I, attempted to invade and conquer Greece. The Greek city-states, although they were often in conflict with each other, joined forces to repel the Persian invaders.
The most significant battles of the Persian Wars were the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE and the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE. In both these battles, the Greek city-states fought together against the Persians and emerged victorious. These victories boosted the morale of the Greek city-states and instilled in them a sense of unity and common purpose.
Following the Persian Wars, a sense of pan-Hellenic identity emerged among the Greek city-states. They recognized their common cultural heritage, language, and religion. They also established the Delian League, a military alliance, to protect themselves against future Persian invasions. This ultimately led to the formation of a unified Greek force under the leadership of Athens.
While the Greek city-states did not become completely united as a single political entity, the Persian Wars laid the foundation for a sense of unity and cooperation among them. This eventually influenced the later development of a unified Greek state under the Macedonian rule of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great.