According to records in music history, athletic arenas in Ancient Greece often featured musical events. Athletic competitions had originally been activities for worshipping and honoring the gods, while musical performances gradually evolved from rites dedicated to Dionysus. Though the scope of ritual and myth was not absolutely equivalent, ritual was one way of reenacting myth.
In addition, outdoor events such as religious ceremonies and folk weddings also had the character of musical gatherings. Though they differed in how riotous they were, they were still carnivals.
In the fifth century BC, as Ancient Greece grew increasingly powerful, the Greeks abandoned their former practical approach to garden design and began to focus on enjoying life.
Of course, all this came at a price. The Delian League had been founded to resist the Persians. Its council stipulated which allied states would pay money and which would provide warships. Later, however, some allies found supplying warships too troublesome, so they converted the obligation into money and paid it to Athens's financial officials. The Athenians used that money to strengthen their navy, which meant that when some allies wanted to break free from the league, they found themselves powerless to do so.
When the First Peloponnesian War broke out, it was rebellions within their respective alliances that forced Athens and Sparta to stop fighting. To suppress those rebellions, as well as the watchful Persians, Athens and Sparta had no choice but to sign a truce.
In the early Delian League, contributions from allied states were assessed and reviewed. Later, Athens reformed this system, replacing tribute with customs duties as its primary source of income. This not only increased state revenue, but also reduced the burden on allies that were less dependent on commercial alliances.
Pericles not only held many festivals and celebrations, but also built