PERICLES

1. PERICLES

2. Pericles Syllabus 1 • Historical context 1a Geography, topography and resources of Athens, Attica and the Athenian empire • 1b Overview of the development of Athenian democracy • 1c Overview of Athenian social, religious and economic structures

3. Pericles Syllabus 2 2 Background and rise to prominence • 2a Family background and education • 2b Early political career to 460 BC

4. Pericles Syllabus 3 3 Career • 3a Democratic reforms and policies • 3b Military career • 3c Building program • 3d Roles as general (strategos) and politician • 3e Methods of maintaining leadership and influence • 3f Promotion of Athenian imperialism • 3g Role and influence in the development of Athens, the ‘Golden Age’ • 3h Relationships with prominent individuals: Aspasia, Ephialtes, Pheidias • 3i Role in the Peloponnesian War (431 BC): causes, strategies and leadership • 3j Manner and impact of his death

5. Pericles Syllabus 4 4 Evaluation • 4a Impact and influence on his time • 4b Assessment of his life and career • 4c Legacy • 4d Ancient and modern images and interpretations of Pericles.

6. Pericles • From his family and other connections • Athenians EXPECTED Pericles to be • Unique • Out of the Ordinary • Special • He was from the equivalent of royalty in democratic Athens –”Germanicus”? “Kennedy”?

7. Family • “The scion of 2 noble families” (Kagan) • “With this family background Pericles was well equipped for public office” (Lawless) • “Born into a position that many in Athenian political life would envy” (Lawless)

8. Pericles - Rise to prominence : • Family background • Education • Early political success • Military career

9. Pericles Political Career begins Political Vacuum in Athens because: • Aristides (The Just) was dead • Themistocles in exile • Cimon absent on campaigns (Plutarch)

10. Family Background and Education - Born 490 BC - Tribe: Acamantis - Deme: Cholargus Parents - ‘he was descended on both sides from the noblest lineage in Athens’ (Plutarch) - Father: Xanthippus belonged to a prominent political family and was a rising politician who defeated the Persiansat Mycale while serving as strategos, 479 - Mother: Agariste was a member of the famous Alcmaeonid family, long involved in the political history of Athens - Cleisthenes was Pericles’ great uncle

11. The Persian Invasions Greece 490 and 480-470 BC - Greeks were victorious over the stronger Persian forces- led to patriotism - Athenians played a prominent part in the success- able to capitalise on this spirit via the astuteness of political leaders such as Themistocles and Aristides - Delian League, 478- all the island states who wanted protection from Persia- allowed Athenians to assume apolitical and diplomatic role in the Aegean

12. Young Pericles had to evacuate Athens in the wake of the Persian invasion- politically active family- biased opinion regarding the greatness of Athens • - Athenian success= possibility of imperial exploitation and a means of ensuring a political career • - Post war- Athens and its popular politicians became too preoccupied with the great military matters of the day to concentrate on further Democratic reform

13. Pericles’ father Xanthippus -despite key role as STRATEGOS alongside Miltiades( OSTRACISED )(HERO OF MARATHON) - liberator of(an Ionian polis in Asia Minor) SestosOSTRACISED

14. Affect on Pericles • At time of Pericles father Xanthippus’ ostracism in 484 BC • Pericles was about 10 years old • He saw need for political influence

15. His father’s ostracism made Pericles wary of overexposure to the public.This lesson was critical in his rise to prominence Phillia • Family connections • ( From phil= lover of )

16. OSTRACISM -to stop anyone becoming a Tyrant-exile for 10 years from Athens -family and property safe -minimum of 6,000 votes required-could be recalled in emergencies -otherwise return=death

17. Aristides “The Just” ostracon

18. Pericles training Traditional Athenian education • Of the mind –knowledge and intellect • Of the arts – poetry and music • Body- physical education (Thucydides)

19. Development of Democracy (508-433BC) Uncle Cleisthenes- • enlisted the support of the masses by promising to give them political power. • His reforms created ten new tribal divisions in which all citizens were redistributed based upon where they lived, not on family connections as previously. • This was designed to break up the political power of the aristocrats. • Increased the power of the Ecclesia (Assembly) and the Heliaea (Courts)

20. Ephialtes 468-67BC • Under him the Areopagus (Old Oligarchic Council) lost power to punish magistrates for misconduct, the powerto supervise the administration of the state, the duty of seeming that the laws were obeyed, and the right toinvestigate the lives of private citizens. • These powers were transferred to the Boule,(New Council of 500) the Ecclesia ( Assembly or the voters ) and the Heliaea.(Courts) • Leaving the Areopagus with only its powers of jurisdiction over cases of intentional homicide and the supervision of religious ceremonies. • Ephialtes was assassinated in 462-61, Pericles succeeded him.

21. Aristides (530?-467? BC) • introduced in 487 a decree to the Ecclesia whereby five hundred candidates from those citizens ‘eligible’ were elected, fifty from each tribe, as candidates for selection by lot for the archon’s positions. • He also increased the number of citizens ‘eligible’ for the archonship and increased the power of the Ecclesia, reducing the power of the aristocracy. • He introduced Ostracism and increased the ‘Council of 400’ to 500.

22. 470’s-60’s • Pericles attached himself to the People’s Party and took up the cause of the poor and many (rather than the rich and few)despite his aristocratic background • Afraid of being suspected of aiming at a dictatorship because he continually took the office of strategos- recognised that Cimon supported and was admired by the aristocratic party- began to ingratiate (suck up to) himself with the people as a way of securing power against his rival and preserving his ambitions of leadership. • He had many opponents but they were never able to match the admiration and awe the common people held forhim

23. 484-469 BC • saw the rise and fall of the most famous names in Athenian political history, e.g. Themistocles, Aristides and Cimon- • their political activities and ideas would have affected Pericles’ political outlook, without their reforms Pericles would not have been able to build up the Empire. • - “he was shy as a young man. The fact that he was rich and that he came of a distinguished family andpossessed exceedingly powerful friends made the fear of ostracism very real to him, and at the beginning he tookno part in politics but devoted himself to soldiering, in which he showed great daring and enterprise.- (Plutarch) • he served with Cimon and the Delian League fleet

24. Education - Educated by the several of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the age - Damon – music, poetry etc. - probably due to him that Pericles entered Politics as a radical - ostracised for being an intriguer and supporter of tyranny - Zeno - lessons in rhetoric: the study of debating and arguing - Anaxagoras- taught him dignity of spirit and a nobility of utterance … also a composure of countenance.(Plutarch) - Under his guidance, Pericles learnt to rise above the orators who deliberately said what the crowd wanted to hear in order to win popularity - Learned to rise above the common fear of the supernatural - Traditional education- training in rhetoric, oratory and philosophy, recital of epic poems as well as appreciation of music and gymnastics.

25. Pericles Tutors 1 • DAMON • “Hiding his true talents under the veil of music” (Plutarch) • Used music to teach Pericles about Athenian politics

26. Pericles Tutors 2 • ZENO • Taught him the political skill of Counter Questioning • Invaluable skill in Oratory • Traps opponent through questioning

27. Pericles Tutors 3 • ANAXAGORAS • Taught him a cautious manner ,built upon his experience of ostracism (Plutarch) • Scientist and philosopher, accused by Pericles’ enemies for “dangerous (scientific) ideas” • Also influenced Euripides

28. Pericles Tutors 3 ANAXAGORAS • An alien (non Athenian ) resident (for over 30 years) • Taught Pericles to “rise above the desire to be merely popular” • Shaped his innovative democratic ideas ( Longman ) • Taught him grace and humility (Kagan) • Taught him the value of rational thought and explaining phenomena (Ehrenberg)

29. Pericles political reforms • Radicalised democracy • Opening it to the influence of the lower classes • HE WAS NEVER OSTRACISED • Payment for Jury service • Rotation of magistracies etc • Mass participation in governing

30. Paid jurors

31. Paid Jury Service • From Aristophanes’ play “The Wasps” we learn that jurors were paid 3 obols a day

32. Pericles constant fear • He very closely resembled physically the tyrant Peisistratus • He too was from a rich family background and had powerful friends • The majority of the people in Athens were from the lower classes • Anyone who was thought to be getting too dangerous could be ostracised

33. Athenians remembered the tyrant Peisistratus

34. Athenian Social Classesthe 500 Bushel men were the richest then the Knights ,then Zeugitae . The working class or Thetes were a large majority in Athens

35. Social classes • Metics were foreigners and not allowed citizenship ,although their children could become citizens if born in Athens • Slaves had no citizenship or rights

36. Pericles 1st Public Act • As Choregos ,he produced a play by Aeschylus called “The Persians” which celebrated their victory over Xerxes in 480 BC • This was massively popular in Athens • Wealthy citizen’s public political duty=Increased chance of election due to public recognition • Could not FAIL with a topic as popular as the Persian War !!!

38. Pericles Military Career • As an ephebe ( young soldier ) • Under Cimon v Dolopian Pirates • Battle of Eurymedon River 466BC v Persians

39. Although Pericles viewed the maintaining of Athenian naval empire to be essential, in his position as leader of Athens, his capability is unmistakable due to his contribution in completing democracy and building program l l

40. Pericles 1st Speech • On the subjugation of (rebelling Delian League member) Naxos • Popular topic with the ordinary people

41. Role as a Strategos and Politician • Strategos· The office of strategos was seen as the key political position at this time · 10 generals elected annually- one from each tribe · commanded military and naval expeditions · could conduct preliminary negotiations with foreign states · could convene the Ecclesia and give advice · responsible to the Ecclesia and could only act under its instructions · subject to public scrutiny- could be brought to trial, fined or ostracised- Pericles was fined and removed from office in 431 the people blamed him for persuading them to undertake thePeloponnesian War · Pericles was elected 16 times, 15 times in a row

42. Pericles’ roles as general (strategos) and politician • The government of Athens in the time of Pericles is usually regarded as the best example of direct demokratia (democracy).The word demokratia comes from a combination of two Greek words; demos (people) and kratein (to rule).Demokratia therefore means government by the people. • Pericles was first and foremost an Athenian citizen. He was a member of the upper classes but had the same rights and privileges as every other Athenian citizen. • This meant he could vote and stand for election to any of the magistracies in Athens. • (Aristotle, a Greek fourth century philosopher who wrote “The Athenian Constitution”, claims there were 700 magistracies.) He could also participate in the Heliaea (people’s court) or Boule(council) if selected by lot and in the Ecclesia (assembly).

43. Pericles Oratory Skills • He could convince the people of anything

44. Cimon’s Big Gamble • He wanted Athens to help Sparta after a terrible earthquake in Laconia • He put his whole prestige on the line to persuade the Athenian Demos (people) to vote for this goodwill aid

45. Different Foreign Policy options • Cimon Pro Sparta v Pericles Pro Athens

46. Cimon favoured Sparta • The 2 most important Greek states • Remember the success of Persian war alliance • He genuinely admired the Spartans • He named one of his sons Lacedaemonius (Spartan name)

47. The 464 BC Athenian relief expedition • After the earthquake the Spartans were afraid that the democratic Athenians might trigger a large scale helot (slave) revolt • The 4,000 Athenians • were sent home • Cimon was disgraced

48. Athens turns against Sparta • While the Athenians were sent home other cities expeditions were allowed to stay • Sparta thought the Athenians might join forces with the rebelling helots • Athens was hugely insulted • This meant that anti-Spartan feeling grew in Athens. Cimon was disgraced • Some helots fled to Athens and were resettled at Naupactus, to the annoyance of Sparta

49. Role of strategos • The magistracy that Pericles did stand for was that of strategos. This had become the main political position in Athensat this time. • Like all the magistrates, the strategos had to undergo public scrutiny. This meant he could be brought to trial or fined ifthe Athenians suspected him of any wrong doing in relation to his work. • In 431-30 BC Pericles was fined and removedfrom office because Athenian citizens were upset about the hardships they had to face during those first two years ofthe Peloponnesian War.

50. “Through his constant re-election he obviously fulfilled the wishes of the majority” (Salmon) “ Democracy = an indicator of a forward society