who was pericles

Pericles was a leading Athenian statesman, general, and orator during the Golden Age of Athens in the 5th century BCE, so influential that his era is often called the “Age of Pericles.”

Quick Scoop: Who was Pericles?

• Pericles lived roughly from 495 to 429 BCE and was born in Athens.

• He became the most influential political leader in Athens from about 461 BCE until his death.

• A contemporary historian, Thucydides, praised him as “the first citizen of Athens,” highlighting his prestige and influence.

What did he do?

• He helped develop Athenian democracy , expanding citizen participation in politics and solidifying the assembly and popular courts.

• He turned the Delian League, originally a defensive alliance against Persia, into an Athenian empire dominated from Athens.

• Under his leadership, Athens became the political and cultural center of Greece, famous for philosophy, drama, and art.

Famous projects and ideas

• Pericles sponsored major building works, including the reconstruction of the Acropolis and the Parthenon, symbolizing Athenian power and artistic achievement.

• He was known as a powerful orator; his Funeral Oration, preserved by Thucydides, celebrated Athenian democracy and civic duty and is still studied as a classic defense of democratic values.

Wars and his death

• Pericles led Athens in conflicts tied to its expanding power, including the First Peloponnesian War and the early years of the great Peloponnesian War against Sparta.

• His strategy emphasized using Athenian naval strength and avoiding direct land battles with Sparta’s superior army.

• He died in 429 BCE during the plague that struck Athens in the early years of the Peloponnesian War.

Why he still matters today

• Pericles is often cited in modern discussions of leadership, civic responsibility, and democracy, especially for his vision of an engaged citizen body.

• His era left enduring monuments and ideas, from the Parthenon itself to the ideal of a self-governing, debate-driven citizenry.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.