Pericles
495 B.C.- 429 B.C.
Greek Politician during the “Golden Age” of Athens
by Rit Nosotro First Published:: 2003( )
Perhaps the most splendid days of the ancient Greek city of Athens took place during the time of Pericles, one of the most influential statesmen in the history of Greece. Unlike previous influential rulers of Athens such as Pisistratus or Polycrates, Pericles did not rule directly over the people as a dictator. Instead, he used his eloquent speaking ability and keen sense of judgment to gain support for his plans and programs in the city of Athens. Pericles was a good example of the application of Ecclesiastes 12:11, which says, “The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly imbedded nails.” Deeply dedicated to his home city, Pericles made use of his words to bring about change and encourage prosperity of Athens.
Pericles had many advantages in early life that would help in his future political career. Born the son of an Athenian fleet commander, Xanthippus, Pericles had the connections, wealth, and family prestige to use for his benefit. He studied under various famous Greek philosophers, most notably the Athenian scientist and mathematician Anaxagoras. His able tongue and sharp intellect, however, proved to be his strongest advantages, and his zeal for serving his homeland led him to pursue high office.
During this time, Athens was already beginning to blossom as one of the more powerful city-states of Greece. Having won an outstanding victory against the Persian Fleet during the Persian wars, Athens’s military strength was undeniable. Furthermore, the government of Athens had undergone many changes over the years, transforming from an aristocratic-based government to a more democratic government with a constitution. But their relationship with the other powerful Greek city-state had begun to cool, and the two great cities Sparta and Athens were already becoming rivals for the status of Greece’s most powerful city.
Meanwhile, Pericles was already experiencing great success, having gained the position of statesmen around 460 B.C. He made a bold move by shifting his loyalties from the noble families who ruled Athens to the common citizens of Athens, urging the participation of all citizens in the government. In 450 B.C., he successfully oversaw the ostracism, or elected exile, of his main political rival, General Cimon. Several years later, Athens made peace with the Persians and various other rival Greek cities. Having dealt with enemies both within and without, Pericles could bring about many changes to the Athenian government and improvements to the city of Athens.
Not for nothing is Pericles’s thirty years as statesman known as “The Golden Age of Pericles.” Since the city had suffered great damage during the Persian Wars, much of Pericles’s work involved rebuilding of the city. Pericles gave the task of rebuilding to many of the poorer citizens of Athens; while he favored helping the poor, he sought to do so by giving them occupations rather than merely granting them charity. Many of the beautiful structures of Athens were built during this time, but most of the work focused on the rebuilding and repairing of temples, including the Acropolis. One of the more splendid temples built during this time was the Parthenon, a beautiful piece of architecture that served as the jewel of Athens for many years. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, it featured a 38-foot tall bronze statue of the goddess that had been created by Phidias, an artist friend of Pericles.
While the city of Athens flourished greatly under Pericles in a material sense, Pericles also brought about change to the flow of Athenian government. One of his early reforms was a new standard for citizenship; in order to become a citizen, one had to have two parents of Athenian birth as a requirement. This new policy favored the common citizens, seeing as how the well-traveled aristocrats and merchants tended to marry foreigners more often. Another measure Pericles took, this time through the popular vote of the city, was the practice of paying members of a jury for their time served. Again, this benefited the lower classes, who could now afford to take time off from their other occupations to serve in the Athenian judicial system. Overall, the Golden Age of Pericles was a period of time in which the city became more and more of a democracy.
Despite the immediate benefits of Pericles’s building programs and governmental reforms, problems began to surface. Owing to the vast expenses of Pericles’s projects, Athens was compelled to rely on tribute money from its weaker Greek allies. This caused a great deal of annoyance on the part of the allies, who were paying the tribute to Athens for military purposes, not for domestic affairs. An Athenian official named Thucydides accused Pericles of using the tribute improperly, and although he was eventually ostracized in 443, the allies of Athens grew ever more resentful of Athens’ prosperity at their expense. While Pericles effectively used diplomatic channels to stave off massive war for thirty years, conflict still loomed on the horizon. Occasionally, an ally would revolt against Athens, such as the city of Samos in 440, and although Athens’ superior navy managed to crush such efforts, tensions still were on the rise.
In 431 B.C., Sparta formed its own alliance and declared war against Athens and its allies, precipitating what became known as the Peloponnesian War. While Athens may have had a superior navy, its army could not compare to the well-disciplined Spartan soldiers. As a result, many of the rural citizens of Athenian territory were forced to flee into the city, and when a plague struck the city, the crowded conditions made the disease have a disastrous effect. Pericles himself received much of the blame for the war and its accompanying problems, and was eventually removed from office around 429 B.C. Though he soon managed to regain his position as statesman, he would not live to make any further reforms. Soon after his re-election, he died of the plague that had struck the city. Athens never truly recovered its former glory, and the Spartans conquered the city in 404.
Pericles’s vision, wisdom, and skill in the art of politics served Athens well for many years, but his Golden Age eventually came to an end. Most of the buildings of Athens have crumbled or been destroyed, including the glorious Parthenon. As wise as Pericles may have been, even his works did not last forever. Another verse in the book of Ecclesiastes well applies to Pericles and his beloved city of Athens: “What does man gain from all his labor, at which he toils in the sun… there is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow,” (verses 3, 11.)
Quick Quiz:
Sources:
1. (Author not given,) “Pericles,” The Athenian Empire, http://www.archaeonia.com/history/classical/athens.htm#PERICLES
2. Sandels, Victoria, “Pericles,” http://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/history/ancient/pericles.htm
3. Burn, A.R., “Athens as a Metropolis,” Pericles and Athens, (New York: Collier Books, 1966)
4. (Author not given,) “Pericles,” A biographical home page, http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/sirrobhitch.suffolk/Portland%20State%20University%20Greek%20Civilization%20Home%20Page%20v2/DOCS/7/elisa.html
5. (Author not given,) “Ancient Greek History,” Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003, http://www.simaqianstudio.com/forum/index.php?s=b8b56af841b341001555c879b1052958&showtopic=2052&st=0&#entry30469
6. (Author not given,) “Pericles,” 2000 Britannica.com Inc., http://www.kat.gr/kat/history/Greek/St/Pericles.htm
