answersLogoWhite

0

Most lived in marginal poverty. The average farm could barely support a family, and this resulted in surplus populations being shipped off to establish new cities overseas, mainly in Asia Minor.

There was a period of relative prosperity from about 450 BCE when the Persian Empire agreed to peace and Athens turned the anti-Persian Delian League, which it led, into an empire of its own, enforcing continued payment into the war fund by those cities, but spending the money on itself, putting half its own population on the public payroll.

Even so, life was hard, and the loss of its empire after defeat in the Peloponnesian War, returned Athenians to supporting themselves.

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

What else can I help you with?