Final answer:
According to most historians, Athens reach its highest point of development after the middle of the first fifth century B.C. during the Golden Age, also known as the Age of Pericles.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to most historians, Athens reached the zenith of its political, social, and cultural development just after the middle of the first fifth century B.C. The peak of this development, also known as the Golden Age of Athens or the Age of Pericles, followed the establishment of democracy by the statesman Kleisthenes around 508-507 BCE and the defeat of the Persian invasion in 480-479 BCE. During this era, Athens became a center of art, drama, philosophy, and architecture, with its vast empire contributing to its wealth and enabling grand public buildings like the Parthenon. The period saw important cultural figures such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Herodotus, Thucydides, Hippocrates, and Socrates contributing to a legacy that would define Western civilization.