Pericles (495 BC-429 BC) was an Athenian statesman and strategos during the “Golden Age” of Athens. His father Xanthippus fought in the Persian wars and his mother Agariste belonged to the powerful Alcmaeonid family, so he was brought up with considerable wealth and power. Pericles placed much value into philosophy and the arts as a result and was even personal friends with famous philosophers such as Anaxagoras and Zeno. His first significant act was sponsoring a play by Aeschylus in 472 BC and not much else is noted in his history until 463BC, when he tried to prosecute and ostracise Cimon for allegedly failing and betraying Athens by missing an opportunity to capture Macedonia. Cimon was eventually ostracised in 461 BC and after a successful …show more content…
He funded several building projects, such as the Parthenon started in 447, but also set laws allowing poorer people to be paid for jury duty and other important civil services. However, other laws and rules were set by Pericles that helped make Athens more imperialistic and a more powerful leader- such as the coinage decree that forced all city-states within the Delian league to use the same money and measurements, the enforcement of garrisons within unruly members and the loss of autonomy in places such as Aegina because they wished to leave the league. However, Sparta became concerned of Athens actions and behaviour under Pericles, (especially towards her ally Corinth, as they drew their enemy Megara into the league) and Pericles’ policies, especially his exclusion of Margarian trade, Led to the first Peloponnesian war in 431 BC. His strategy was to evacuate the Athenian countryside and retreating to the walls of Athens, leaving the navy to attack Sparta opportunistically. However, this decision costed him dearly. The crowded population within Athens walls lead to a plague that killed him and his two sons in
He was a man who had become very deeply engaged in his philosophy. Pericles became popular with the Athenian people and devoted himself to the people. He took the side of the poor and began making advances with the people. Pericles were a man who was careful with his words and also prayed to the gods.
The Funeral Oration of Pericles: A Primary Text Analysis In Pericles’ Funeral Oration, the famous and influential text in 430 B.C was given by Pericles to traditionally honor the death of the soldiers that fought in war and serviced in the Athenian military. This interpretation of the oration is written by Thucydides, as it is a manuscript of what Pericles said to the Athenian public. Through this text, Pericles focuses on honoring the fallen soldiers, but he also emphases the values of Athenian society and the social structure of the invention of democracy, as it is introduced for the first time ever in history. The Funeral Oration of Pericles expresses the distinct values of strong moral standards for social structure and introduces democracy, as it reinforces laws and the need for equal justice.
We must not fall behind them, but must resist our enemies in any way and in every way, and attempt to hand down our power to our posterity unimpaired” (1.144.3). Pericles is trying to instill in these men the desire for glory that they have never felt before. He has already shown how Athens is a great country and now he wants the men to fight for it. These rhetorical devices serve to
Both Pericles’ and Barack Obama’s government are similar and both different. Pericles and Obama both support a democracy but Pericles had a direct democracy which is when people gather at mass meetings to decide on government matters. In direct democracy every citizen can vote firsthand on laws and policies. In the United states we have representative democracy which is when citizens choose a smaller group to make laws and government decisions on their behalf, because a mass meeting of our millions of citizens would be impossible . Pericles and both Obama have been in charge for at least 6 years .
The Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens is truly a war like no other, pitting the two great super-powers of Greece against each other. When one looks at the resources and the experiences of both Sparta and Athens, it seems almost certain that Athens would come out victorious. However this would not be Athens’ outcome. To great Athenian surprise, the Spartans emerged victorious in 404 BC. There are many factors and intricacies that led to a Spartan victory.
He was a loved and a powerful leader. Under his command, Athens won many wars and also came to be the richest and most powerful city-state in all Greece. Unfortunately, in 429 BC, a horrible plague struck Greece which resulted in the death of Pericles. After this, the Greek government and democracy was never the same again. The death of Pericles affected Greece in a negative way because it became weaker and more vulnerable to other richer and more powerful city-states.
Julius Caesar was a politician, general, and dictator. He once said, “It is easier to find men who will volunteer to die than to find those who are willing to endure pain with patience.” He was an incredible speaker of the time and was very well liked by most citizens. He brought a lot of change to Rome and was a very strong leader. Julius Gaius Caesar was born in Rome Italy, in 100 B.C., on July 13th.
Ancient Greece has impacted many civilizations through philosophy, government, art and architecture. Their ideas and concepts are still widely used today and have benefited many people's lives. The Ancient Greek civilization made many contributions to the Western World. Ancient Greek philosophers have influenced areas of modern thought. Philosophy is the study of ideas, nature and the meaning of life.
Over the course of constructing a literary work authors often use various cultures to contribute to their literary work. Cultures can also demonstrate deviations about everything such as social classes, religion, and education. In several different societies, they tend to reveal different beliefs to the world. However, some civilizations have similar concepts. religious aspects of different cultures around the world.
Pericles introduced state pay for service on the Council of 500 and the jury. In this way, even poor citizens could take part in public life. One of his more popular measures was the introduction of a law limiting Athenian citizenship to children both of whose parents were Athenians. This may have seemed like an unfair measure, but it had the effect of making citizenship a privilege and thus encouraging civic responsibility. Along with his own personal ambition and his patriotic desire to Athens, Pericles also had lofty ideals for uplifting his fellow citizens culturally.
An example of Pericles’s cautiousness is his choice of military policy. He decided to play to Athens’ strengths be was based upon the principle that Athens' predominance depends upon having the
Pericles was respected and liked in Athenian society, and Socrates was neither respected nor liked. Socrates questioned everything about the way people lived their lives and their beliefs. Pericles believed that Athens was the best and the way that they lived was the right way and there should be no other way of life. With the way that Pericles and Socrates lived they would clearly have different views of life. Pericles believed that Athens was superior to any other Greek city- state.
Alcibiades is the most responsible for the defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian War over Pericles, Lysander, and Nicias. Due to Alcibiades inability to remain loyal to a single nation, his selfish desires, and his repeated manipulation to maneuver situations into his favor, Alcibiades tactics made detrimental impact on the outcome of the Peloponnesian War. Pericles was seen as incorruptible and as a virtuous leader (Plut. Pericles 2). Nicias was hesitant to endanger men’s lives and was not one support a spontaneous or an ill-conceived plans (Plut. Nicias 6).
Athens, located in southern Greece, experienced an expansion in culture and education during the years between the Persian War and Peloponnesian War (477-431 BC) which set the stage for future expansions of culture in civilizations like Ancient Rome and Europe during the Renaissance. Although Athens was very prosperous, innovative and ruled by strong leaders during their Golden Age, they still didn’t have a perfect government or social structure which puts into question how successful this period actually was. 1st Paragraph (Outline) Pericles 's had great success in beautifying Athens and increasing its culture, through innovative art and architecture, as well advances in theater, which created a Golden Age because the people of Athens experienced
Oedipus the King is one of the most ironic plays ever written. Sophocles, the author, is a famous philosopher of the ancient times The Play is about Oedipus, the king of Thebes, who kills his father and marries his mother. An oracle warned Laius, the king of Thebes prior to Oedipus, that his son would murder him. Accordingly, when his wife, Jocasta, had a son, he exposed the baby by first pinning his ankles together. The infant, who was adopted by King Polybus of Corinth and his wife was then brought up as their very own.