Athens-in the second half of the 6th century (550 bc - 500bc), athens fell under the tyranny of peisistratos and then his sons hippias and hipparchos. however, in 510 bc, at the instigation of the athenian aristocrat cleisthenes, the spartan king cleomenes i helped the athenians overthrow the tyranny. afterwards, sparta and athens promptly turned on each other, at which point cleomenes i installed isagoras as a pro-spartan archon. eager to prevent athens from becoming a spartan puppet, cleisthenes responded by proposing to his fellow citizens that athens undergo a revolution: that all citizens share in political power, regardless of status: that athens become a democracy. so enthusiastically did the athenians take to this idea that, having overthrown isagoras and implemented cleistheness reforms, they were easily able to repel a spartan-led three-pronged invasion aimed at restoring isagoras. the advent of the democracy cured many of the ills of athens and led to a golden age for the athenians.
