February 8th, 2026
The term “Golden Age” denotes a period during which a culture experienced an efflourescence, combining wealth with great achievements in the arts and sciences. The term has also been applied to particular realms of effort, but I choose to ignore these uses of the term. I identify four Golden Ages in history, each of which was caused by a great expansion of mercantile activity.
Athens
The glory days of Athens, spanning the 5th century BCE, was the first of the widely recognized Golden Ages. During this period, Athens produced the three giants of Western philosophy: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It built the Parthenon, one of the greatest works of architecture in history. Theater flourished with such playwrights as Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Glorious statuary bloomed.
Athens’ Golden Age is directly attributable to its trade