Pericles - Political Leader of Ancient Greek Democracy

​Although many people think democracy is a relatively recent concept, this political system actually dates back to the ancient Greeks. A power center of Greece, the city-state of Athens had a succession of democratic leaders, including Pericles, who lived from around 595 to 529 BCE.

Pericles’ life coincided with Greece’s Golden Age, a brief interwar period in which art, philosophy, and architecture flourished. He was a patron of the arts and associated with the era’s luminaries, such as the playwright Sophocles and the philosopher Anaxagoras. A powerful speaker, Pericles also won a military campaign against the Corinthians. He encouraged political participation by authorizing payment for jury duty and civil service.

Complicating his legacy was his prosecution of Cimon, a prominent general. Although it seems Pericles later attempted to rehabilitate Cimon, his treatment of him possibly motivated him to enact the controversial Athenian Citizenship Law of 450. Under this measure, individuals could not become citizens unless both parents were Athenian. Previously, it was only necessary to have an Athenian father.

Pericles’ detractors claimed he catered to prejudices against foreigners and denied civil liberties. The law also may have been an attempt to discredit Cimon, who was born of a non-Athenian mother. However, no historical records reveal Pericles’ actual intentions.

Pericles died in 529 BCE, before he could punished for his actions. Believing his case to have contemporary relevance, the National Hellenic Museum organized a mock trial of Pericles, which found him guilty of promoting tyranny.

Judge Megan Goldish, Honors&Awards; ProfessionalTopics; Hobbies&Interests; Groups&Organizations

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