ship between Sparta and Athens,
             and between many other city-states after the Persian Wars. Their rivalry was constant.
             The most important direct result of the wars was the establishment of Athens as dominant Greek naval power. This gave Athens the opportunity to create, in the years to come, an extensive empire over the newly won territories which had no parallel in earlier Greek history. A new political order emerged among the Greek
             states centred on the two great powers of Athens and Sparta that was to have a profound effect on later Greek history.
             Soon after the end of the Persian Wars, the Athenians started rebuilding the walls around their city previously destroyed in the war. According to Thucydides, when Sparta heard about rebuilding, she immediately sent an embassy to the Athens
             to ascertain the truth. Sparta maintained that no city-state should have the walls, for it could be dangerous in case of a new invasion. The possible in
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