Politics soon took priority over the arts for Pericles. In B. Many historians consider that event to have marked the birth of Athenian democracy. After Ephialtes was assassinated in B. Previously, only the wealthy could afford the time to participate in politics. Pericles approved payment for jury duty and for soldiers, sailors, and administrators.
That development transformed the character of Athenian democracy and society; lower-class Athenians called thetes could now participate as fully as citizens with property. The Delian League effectively became an Athenian empire. Around B. Work began in B. More than 20, tons of marble were used, producing the iconic Parthenon and the imposing colonnade of the Propylaea, the entrance gateway.
But the peace of Athens was not to last. Unfortunately, the year-long Peloponnesian War resulted in great losses for Athens. When a plague broke out, an estimated 20, people died—including Pericles and his two legitimate sons. Athens was one of the most important and powerful cities in the ancient world.
The bustling main thoroughfare was the Panathenaic Way. Through his mother Agariste, Pericles was a member of the Alcmeonids. This was a powerful family in Athens who claimed descent from Nestor king of Pylos in "The Odyssey" and whose earliest notable member was from the seventh century B.
The Alcemons were accused of treachery at the Battle of Marathon. His father was Xanthippus, a military leader during the Persian Wars and the victor at the Battle of Mycale.
He was the son of Ariphon, who was ostracized. This was a common political punishment for prominent Athenians consisting of a year banishment from Athens. He was returned to the city when the Persian Wars began.
Pericles was married to a woman whose name is not mentioned by Plutarch, but who was a close relative. They had two sons, Xanthippus and Paralus, and divorced in B. Both sons died in the Plague of Athens. Pericles also had a mistress, perhaps a courtesan but also a teacher and intellectual called Aspasia of Miletus , with whom he had one son, Pericles the Younger. Pericles was said by Plutarch to have been shy as a young man because he was rich and of such stellar lineage with well-born friends that he was afraid he'd be ostracized for that alone.
Instead, he devoted himself to a military career, where he was brave and enterprising. Then he became a politician. His teachers included the musicians Damon and Pythocleides. Pericles was also a pupil of Zeno of Elea. Zeno was famous for his logical paradoxes, such as the one in which he was said to have proven that motion can't occur. His most important teacher was Anaxagoras of Clazomenae B. Anaxagoras is best known for his then-outrageous contention that the sun was a fiery rock. The first known public event in Pericles' life was the position of "choregos.
Choregoi paid for everything from staff salaries to sets, special effects, and music. In , Pericles funded and produced the Aeschylus play "The Persians.
Pericles also gained the office of military archon or strategos , which is usually translated into English as a military general. Pericles was elected strategos in , and remained in that role for the next 29 years. In the s, the Helots rebelled against the Spartans who asked for help from Athens. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato founded the Academy and is the author of philosophical works of unparalleled influence in Western thought.
Euripides was one of the great Athenian playwrights and poets of ancient Greece, known for the many tragedies he wrote, including 'Medea' and 'The Bacchae. Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, together with Socrates and Plato, laid much of the groundwork for western philosophy. Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese communist leader and the most powerful figure in the People's Republic of China from the late s until his death in Yasser Arafat was chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization from until his death in , a tumultuous period in which clashes with neighboring Israel were prevalent.
Statesman Samuel Houston was a key political figure in the creation of the state of Texas. He was elected the first president of the Republic of Texas in Toussaint L'Ouverture was a leader of the Haitian independence movement during the French Revolution. Muammar al-Qaddafi seized control of the Libyan government in and ruled as an authoritarian dictator for more than 40 years before he was overthrown in Ancient Greek statesman Pericles, leader of Athens from — B.
The article explores three groups of key figures: those involved in developing the form of the pyramid, famous Egyptian rulers, and important non-Egyptian rulers.
Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image Pericles This depiction of Pericles appears in a fresco painted by Perugina c.
Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. None Vocabulary. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer.
Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources. Ancient Greece. View Collection.
0コメント