Lawrence Sammons II

That money had to be paid back and had to be paid back in interest. And Athena was very generous during the Peloponnesian War. She lowered her interest rate from something like 7% to 1.5%, something like that. It was nice of her. But the Athenians basically spent all the money they had in their... that they'd accumulated through their empire.

That money had to be paid back and had to be paid back in interest. And Athena was very generous during the Peloponnesian War. She lowered her interest rate from something like 7% to 1.5%, something like that. It was nice of her. But the Athenians basically spent all the money they had in their... that they'd accumulated through their empire.

And that debt was a debt to the gods, but they never paid it back. A state, a democratic state can just spend itself into oblivion. And in fact, I would go so far to say it will spend itself into oblivion.

And that debt was a debt to the gods, but they never paid it back. A state, a democratic state can just spend itself into oblivion. And in fact, I would go so far to say it will spend itself into oblivion.

And that debt was a debt to the gods, but they never paid it back. A state, a democratic state can just spend itself into oblivion. And in fact, I would go so far to say it will spend itself into oblivion.

They overspent, and that overspending led to more military action. Because why? The empire is generating some of this money that's being used to pay people, yeah, and to build the buildings and to pay people to serve on juries. The Athenians quite well understood that sailing out and attacking other Greeks and imposing tribute payments on them was paying them, right?

They overspent, and that overspending led to more military action. Because why? The empire is generating some of this money that's being used to pay people, yeah, and to build the buildings and to pay people to serve on juries. The Athenians quite well understood that sailing out and attacking other Greeks and imposing tribute payments on them was paying them, right?

They overspent, and that overspending led to more military action. Because why? The empire is generating some of this money that's being used to pay people, yeah, and to build the buildings and to pay people to serve on juries. The Athenians quite well understood that sailing out and attacking other Greeks and imposing tribute payments on them was paying them, right?

There was a direct relationship between those two things. They understood that. So the democratic system of paying for public service and building these buildings is generating empire. It's not that the Athenians weren't imperial before. Athens was always aggressive. Even before democracy, the Athenians had an unusually aggressive profile. It's part of their national character for some reason.

There was a direct relationship between those two things. They understood that. So the democratic system of paying for public service and building these buildings is generating empire. It's not that the Athenians weren't imperial before. Athens was always aggressive. Even before democracy, the Athenians had an unusually aggressive profile. It's part of their national character for some reason.

There was a direct relationship between those two things. They understood that. So the democratic system of paying for public service and building these buildings is generating empire. It's not that the Athenians weren't imperial before. Athens was always aggressive. Even before democracy, the Athenians had an unusually aggressive profile. It's part of their national character for some reason.

But boy, democracy really amped it up.

But boy, democracy really amped it up.

But boy, democracy really amped it up.

No, there were. By the end of the 5th century, there are Athenians who are saying things like, this imperialism thing is a little out of control. It's a tiny, tiny voice in a chorus of, but more empire is better.

No, there were. By the end of the 5th century, there are Athenians who are saying things like, this imperialism thing is a little out of control. It's a tiny, tiny voice in a chorus of, but more empire is better.

No, there were. By the end of the 5th century, there are Athenians who are saying things like, this imperialism thing is a little out of control. It's a tiny, tiny voice in a chorus of, but more empire is better.

Philip didn't destroy Athens. The Athenian city-state continued and the Athenians actually kept having jury trials and they kept electing officials. They just weren't sovereign anymore. Athens wasn't running its own show, right? They got to worry about the Macedonians. They're not making their own policy anymore. They're not deciding whether they're going to go to war or not.

Philip didn't destroy Athens. The Athenian city-state continued and the Athenians actually kept having jury trials and they kept electing officials. They just weren't sovereign anymore. Athens wasn't running its own show, right? They got to worry about the Macedonians. They're not making their own policy anymore. They're not deciding whether they're going to go to war or not.

Philip didn't destroy Athens. The Athenian city-state continued and the Athenians actually kept having jury trials and they kept electing officials. They just weren't sovereign anymore. Athens wasn't running its own show, right? They got to worry about the Macedonians. They're not making their own policy anymore. They're not deciding whether they're going to go to war or not.