Pericles of Athens

Peloponnesian War
Resources on the Peloponnesian War in which Athens eventually lost to Sparta, but not before Pericles boarded up the citizens of Attica in the city of Athens, the Sicilian Expedition, and the defection of Alcibiades, following his implication in the mutilation of the herms.

Pericles - Leader of Athens - Pericles
Pericles was the leader of Athens at the time of the building of the Parthenon and the Peloponnesian War.

Delian League
Following the victory at the Battle of Salamis, during the Persian Wars, the Ionian cities joined together in the Delian League for mutual protection. They placed Athens at the head (hegemon) because of her naval supremacy and because many of the Greek cities were annoyed with the tyrannical behavior of the Spartan commander Pausanias, who had...

Plutarch's Life of Pericles
Pericles became the most powerful man in Athens, yet he had never been elected to any public office. Having, in effect, bought their support, he made use of the masses against his political opponents so that he became a king disguised as a champion of the people.

Peloponnesian War
Timeline of major battles and treaties in the Peloponnesian War.

11th Brittanica: Delian League
A confederation of Greek states led by Athens, headquartered at Delos, founded in 478 B.C. after the final repulse of the expedition of the Persians under Xerxes I; broken up by the capture of Athens by Sparta in 404; revived in 378-7 (the "Second Athenian Confederacy") as a protection against Spartan aggression, lasting until the victory of Philip II of Macedon at Chaeronea.

11th Brittanica: Pericles
Describes Pericles' personal characteristics, evaluates his character and achievements, his attitude towards the members of the Delian League. Says hie chief innovation was the introduction of payment from the public treasury for state service.

Dr. J's Illustrated Pericles' Funeral Oration
An illustrated lecture on Periclean Athens; explains how fifth century Greek values compare to our American ones, and compares Periclean Athens with Dr. J's hometown of Philadelphia.

Pericles' Last Speech
Thucydides has Pericles, since he was still strategos, summon an assembly, with the aim of putting fresh courage into them and of guiding their embittered spirits so as to leave them in a calmer and more confident frame of mind.

Thucydides Mythistoricus: The Western Policy
Francis M. Cornford says Pericles was a wise leader, especially in times of peace, but even during war, his advice was good, but it wasn't followed. "He had told the Athenians that all would be well if they would be quiet, keep up their navy, and not try to add to their empire during the war or run their city into danger. But the Athenians did everything he told them not to do."

Pericles Funeral Oration
Glossary entry on Pericles Funeral Oration.

Metic
Glossary entry on the Greek term metic -- not to be confused with the common English word medic.

Peloponnesian War
Glossary entry on the Peloponnesian War.

Periclean Citizenship Law
Pericles was the Atehnian leader at the time of a change in citizenship requirements in Athens. Here you'll learn about the law named after him and why it did not work to his favor in his personal life.