Family Background
Political leaders - Alcmaeonid
“descended from the noblest lineage” - Plutarch
“Well equipped for office” - Lawless
- Member of Pentecosiomedimni
- Xanthippus - general at Mycale
- Agariste - rumoured to be cursed
- Cleisthenes - ‘Father of Democracy’
- Father & uncle banished from Spartan influence
Nature of leadership
- “decided to help the many
poor people instead” - Plutarch - “Intelligent” “rational” - Plutarch and Thucydides
- Funeral speech: Chosen by the assembly as the man who seemed wisest and foremost in reputation
- “Tribute to stature, reputation and political power” - Donald Kagan
Nature of Sources
Ancient
- Plutarch: Rise and fall of Athens
600 years after Pericles, last 20 years of his life; skeptical of democracy; acknowledges downfall - Thucydides: Only contemporary of Pericles; funeral oration and speech to athenians; balanced view
Pericles’ goals
- Beautify Athens
- Strengthen Democracy
- Expand the Empire
Teachers
Damon
- Music & political contests
- advised the use of public funds for jury
- influence on Per’s radicalism
Teachers
Anaxagorus
- Philosopher - Taught oration and rational thought
- Influenced the calmness and self control in Per
Zeno and Sophocles
- Philosophers
- Debate and Drama
Early Political Career
Political Atmosphere
- Fear of Persian attack
- Sparta as the superpower
- Increasing corinthian navy
- Initial stages of delian league
Rivalry with Cimon
- Pericles aligned to the lower classes
- Opposed Cimon’s aristocratic conservative party
- Unsuccessful prosecution in 463 BC and 461 BC of bribery charges
- Ostracised Cimon due to his insult from the Spartan army
Ephialtes
- Head of democratic party
- mentor to pericles
- Pericles stripped the Areopagus of power and established Ekklesian and Boule dominance
- Introduced pay for public office holders
- Commenced Radical democracy
- After Ephialtes was assassinated, “Pericles was now the most important man” - Plutarch
Navy in Athens
- Fixed unemployment through jobs in the navy
- Increased popularity within Thetes
- Improving Navy quality and quantity
Democratic reforms and policies
Social Classes
- Pentecosiomedimni - Archon, Areopagus, Strategoi
- Hippias - Archonship, Areopagus
- Zeugitae - Hoplite class, Boule
- Thetes - commoners, Jury, elections and ekklesia
Premise of Pericles’ reforms
- Shift towards democratic aspects (ekklesia and boule)
- Opening up government to wider body of citizen
- Promoted what Cleisthenes started
Persian War impact on development of democracy
- increased importance of the navy = importance of thetes
- position of strategos was important as military control + politics meshed together
Rise to prominence
Q&A
- Early Military under Cimon and Themistocles (Burn: “Good conduct…as a soldier)
- Contributing to the public (Choregos for the Persians, distribution of public funds, juror payments)
- Reforms under Ephialtes and Cimon’s ostracism (Stripping Areopagus of power, 461BC ostracism of Cimon)
“Pericles was now the most important man” - Plutarch
Main Democratic Reforms
- Stripping power from Areopagus - power to Boule, Dikasteria and Ekklesia
- Admission of Zeugitae to the Archonship
- Introduced payment for political office - opened up opportunities for lower classes
- Thucydides life of Pericles: new citizenship law - limited civil benefits to citizen of Athens and Athenian women
Purpose of Building Program
- restore Athenian temples from Persian damage - ‘Greece owed it to them’
- Promote Athens as the cultural centre
- Promote Athenian victory over Persians
Sources: Democracy
“Allowed citizen free will but knew when to put them in check.” - Thucy
Funeral Oration:
* “administration favours the many instead of the few”
* “we are a pattern to others than imitators”
Donald Kagan:
* “chief role in transforming Athens from a limited democracy to a popular government”
* “the mass were fully sovereign in fact and theory”
Golden Age
“It was under him that Athens was at her greatest” - Thucydides
- Cultural, political and imperialistic peak
- Building program - Acropolis; Parthenon (Athena Parthenos and Athena Nike); Temple of Hephaestus (crafting); Erectheon (Poseidon); Odeon (theatre); Piraeus (docks and walls)
- Democratic reforms - Jury, power to the ekklesia, payment for office, citizenship law
- Delian league treasury used, 5000 talents = $3 Billion
“the city will maintain herself, from her own resources”
Imperial policies
- Cleinias - Taxing subjects
- Erythrae - Cleruchies
- Coinage - Standardised Athenian currency
- Chalcis (Euboea) - Oath of allegiance
Military Career
“Good name by his conduct as a soldier” - Burn
- Battle of Tanagra lost
- Egyptian expedition - 200 ships lost; no grain trade
- Chersonese expedition to allow cleruchies and ‘liberate isthmus’
Legacy of the Golden Age
Kagan:
‘Athens was a source of inspiration for Britain’s move towards democracy’
‘Athens left a cultural and historical symbol of Greece in general’
Plutarch: ‘caused amazement to the rest of the world’
Role as strategos and politician
Meshed political and military identity
- Formalisation of the Delian league through military activities & imperial decrees
- popularity with the people due to increase in cultural interest
- introduction of new form of government power to the people
- “he respected the liberty of the people and knew when to keep them in check”
Aspasia
- lover and great advisor - Plutarch
- Unusually involved her in political discussions
- woman of extraordinary mind - Kagan
