Pericles Notes - Ancient History PDF

Preview

Summary

Ancient History ...

Description

PERSONALITY PERICLES Ancient History

JOSHUA HO/RAKIN ALAM NBHS

1.0 SURVEY HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT 



Geography: o The polis of Athens is located in an area known as Attica – 5km away from Piraeus. o River Eridanus and Llisos flowed through Athens o Extremely mountainous and few flat plains for agriculture o Attica: Large peninsula – 50 miles across/wide o Located around the Aegean Sea Resources o Athens as the city did not have any resources as such o According to Xenophon, Attica had silver (Lararium) marble (Mt Pentelicus), olives, grapes, clay

OVERVIEW OF ATHENIAN DEMOCRACY  



 



Early 6th Century BC law giver Solon abolished citizen slavery and citizen serfdom Tyrant of Peisistratus controlled Athens from 546BC to 524BC o These two men laid the foundation for the development of Cleisthenes o After the overthrowing of tyrants, Cleisthenes became highly influential Cleisthenes – made the Boule of 500, divided Attica by demes into 30 parts, appointed 10 eponymous heroes, introduced ostracism o Made Athens much more democratic (Aristotle) o Distributed citizens into 10 tribes rather than 4 487BC – Athenians selected 9 archons by lot hallmark of democracy 462BC – Ephialtes proposed laws to the Ekklesia which took powers away from the Areopagus o Assassinated 1 year after proposing these reforms o Council of Areopagus was not abolished but its central importance was destroyed Reforms continued by Pericles  Payment for jurors, archonship opened to Zeugitae/Thetes, citizenship law of 451BC

SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS AND ECONOMIC STRUCTURES 



Social structures: o Society was divided into those who had Athenian citizenship (Pentakosiomedimnoi, Hippeis, Zeugitae, Thetes) and those who did not (Metics and Slaves) Religious Structures: o Athenian religion was overseen by the King Archon (Archon Basileus – 1 of the 9 archons)



Economic Structures: o Agriculture, Industry, Commerce/trade (including tribute)

2.0 FOCUS OF STUDY BACKGROUND/RISE TO PROMINENCE FAMILY BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION 



Born around 494/5BC into a wealthy/distinguished family - Plutarch o Mother: Agariste (family long involved in the political history of Athens) (Alcmaeonids) o Father: Xanthippus (Politician and strategos  ostracised 484BC, recalled 481BC) o Great Uncle: Cleisthenes (Reformed the gov of Athens in 507) Taught by some of the greatest minds in the Ancient Greek world – Plutarch o Damon of Oa (Music + Poetry): Sophist of the highest order and trained Pericles for political contests  “Most accomplished man in every way, as well as a musician and a companion of inestimable value for young men” – Plato  “As a masseur or training prepares an athlete” - Plutarch  Pericles enemies claimed that it was Damon who advised him to use public funds to pay citizens for jury service  Taught different kinds of music to express different elements of human character  Ostracised for being intriguer and supporter of tyranny o Zeno the Eleatic (Philosopher): Perfected the technique of cross examination  great orating  Taught natural philosophy  Taught Pericles a technique of cross-examination which allowed Pericles to corner his opponent by a method of Q&A  Inventor of dialectic and several famous paradoxes o Anaxagoras of Clazomenae (Philosopher): Helped Pericles develop a natural dignity of character and excellent skills of oration, taught him to rise above superstition  Appears to be Pericles’ most influential teacher  Imparted to Pericles the majesty and gravity he had in all his sayings and doings  Asked questions and proposed ideas that challenged religious and traditional beleifs  shocking and disturbing most Athenians but exciting Pericles  Used reason in a place of traditional myths to explain physical world  Plutarch gave Anaxagoras credit for shaping Pericles’ manner and style of speaking  Influenced Pericles’s political thought and practice and his teaching helped make Pericles a unique leader  Thucydides “What was called a democracy was becoming, in fact the rule of a foremost man”

Ehrenburg: “Pericles emerges as that of a wise and strong-minded statesman, a great an even clever political leader, a wonderful and persuasive orator” Pythocledias: (Music) - Aristotle 

o

EARLY POLITICAL CAREER 

472BC: Sponsored a major dramatical performance at the festival of Dionysus as a choregos o Play written by Aeschylus “The Persians” – first prize However very young at age 22  believe that Xanthippus died  inheritance Delivered his first speech in Ekklesia – Burn 469BC: 1st speech in the Ekklesia, becomes Ephialtes lieutenant.  radical democratic party 465BC: Prosecutes Cimon for accepting bribe from the Macedonians 464BC: Selected as Strategos for the first time at age 30. 461BC: Pericles/Ephialtes  ostracised Cimon and reduced power of Areopagus 461BC: Introduced pay for jurors, 2 obols a day 460BC: Ephialtes assassinated, Pericles becomes leader of the Radical Democratic Party (END OF RISE TO PROMINENCE) 458BC: Zeugitae admitted to archonship 457BC: Long walls completed (Middle wall), battle of Tanagra 454BC: Treasury  Acropolis 451BC: Citizenship law, Aim:  # of those who could claim $. 450BC: Establishes Cleruchs 448BC: Parthenon begun. 446: Euoboea rebelled 444BC: Thucydides ostracised (The politician) 440BC: Has a son with Aspasia named Pericles 438BC: Friends of Pericles attacked, (Phidias, Aspasia, Anaxagoras) 435BC: Epidamnus incident, work starts on Propylea 435BC: Battle of Sybota 432BC: Parthenon completed. Megarian decree issued (possible major cause of the PW) 431BC: PW starts, Pericles gives his famous “Funeral Oration” 430BC: Plague hits Athens  worse than it would have been due to recalling of people into walls. 429BC: Pericles dies 2 years into the PW Early in his career, he devoted his time to soldiering with not much politics as he didn’t want to be associated with the powerful  ostracism To secure support  distributed public wealth  public festivals, juror payment o

                       



KEY FEATURES AND DEVELOPMENTS DEMOCRATIC REFORMS AND POLICIES 

He did not create democracy but rather completed the steps to a full democracy o According to Plutarch and Aristotle, he pushed legislation to transfer power from AreopagusBoule, Ekklsia, Dikasteria o Introduced juror payment – 461BC



Citizenship Law – 451BC  cut down number of citizens who could enjoy privileges e.g. state pay o Cecil Maurice Bowra  Argues that Pericles completed the steps towards democracy because he was intensely patriotic believing that each citizen had a role to play o Introduced citizenship law that decreed that ‘a person should not have the rights of citizenship unless both his parents had been citizens” o This law improved the position of Athenian women  men were forced now to marry within their own state in order for their children to be citizens o

“Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people” - Thucydides

o

By 450BC the city  crowded  cleruchies (Population control)



Plutarch “life of Pericles”  “Pericles dispatched 1000 settlers to the Chersonese, 500 to Naxos, 250 to Andros, 1000 to Thrace”  relieved Athens a large number of idlers and agitators  raised standards of lower class o “Cleruchies ensured a healthy fear of rebellion” - Plutarch Transformed DLAthenian Empire o Set up democratic gov o Established garrisons o Court cases heard in Athens o Oaths taken and treaties signed with individual league members o Established 6000 cleruchs



Jury Pay – 461BC

o

o o o o o o o



“Pericles was the first to introduce payment for services on the law courts” Aristotle 2 obols a day for jury duty – ranging from 201-501 jurors Attracted the city’s poor and aged who became obsessive fulltime jurors – Aristophanes “The Wasps” 4 Obols a day for archonship 1 Drachma for members of the Council of 500 and other officials except generals Highlights the interdependence of Athens and the League as they required the funds from Phoros to fund jurors “The two engines of the democratic development were lot and pay” - JB Bury

Promoted economic growth by improving the Piraeus o Building another long wall from Athens to Piraeus o Constructing dry docks (Used for construction, maintenance of ships) o Building storehouses o Rebuilding the Emporion (where merchants displayed their wares) o Laid the town out in a rectangular grid pattern (Piraeus)- Burn

MODERN HISTORIANS ON DEMOCRATIC REFORMS

1) Victor Ehrenberg

-

Raises questions about the connection of radicalisation of Athenian Democracy and the importance of the thetes He acknowledges that the thetes obviously had a political weight to which in pre-naval days they did not have But he suggests it is more complicated than that Growth of the navy and sea power involved the whole population, and that the thetes were often absent from Athens He points out that it was not only the thetes who manned the ships, but also hoplites, metics and at times slaves

2) Raphael Sealy - Discuses the reforms introduced by Ephialtes before his assassination. He suggest that the reforms which weakened the Areopagus were not perhaps as significant as they seem - Discusses political and constitutional reforms, Archonship was reduced to a symbolic status as a central figure with mass power was no longer the Athenian way 3) Thucydides - “ Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people “ - Pericles -

MILITARY CAREER –  









Began military career as a young man before entering politics At least 9 victories o “Pericles threw himself into the task of winning a good name by his conduct as a soldier”-Burn Battle of Tanagra 457 BC o • Pericles fought as citizen o • Plutarch  “brave and fond of danger” o • Athenians lost Egyptian expedition 455 BC o Egypt main sources of grain o Egypt part of Persian Empire è Persians did not want to trade grain to o o

enemy Pericles wanted to take over trade

o

Sent out fleet of 200 ships up the Nile

o All ships lost o Could not contain 2nd source of grain Peleponnese – Strategos 454BC o Fleet of 100 triremes defeated army from Sicyon and Nemea o Attacked Acernania  Ravaged and looted land Chersonese Expedition 447BC o Took 100 Athenian colonists to Chersonese to help build up number of Greeks living there o o

Greek colonies under constant attacks/raids from Thracian tribes Built fortified wall across Isthmus  allowing Greek colonies to grow





Southern Italy & Sicily 450s BC o Rich source of grain supply è  100s of years the area had been settled by o other Greek cities especially Corinth o Corinth resented Athenians for trying to take grain trade from them o Pericles made a serious attempt to get trade towards the end of the 450s o At one stage è  he took control of whole of central Greece & even making o alliance with Argos o Came to an end when Corinth, encouraged by Sparta, to fight back in so o called 1st Peloponnesian War o Ended 445 BC with collapse of Athens’ control of central Greece è Pericles o making a precarious peace with Sparta Revolt of Euboea and Samos 446-440BC o Chalcis Decree Naval battle agains the Samians  victorious and demolished walls along with confiscating fleet of warships + huge fine o Led to increasing popularity from Athenians to Pericles Black Sea 436BC o Projecting dominance of Athenian navy to neighbouring tribes o





o Protection of trade routes Corcyra vs Corinth – 433BC o Pericles sent 10 ships as to assist Corcyra  diplomatic approach to Sparta



o Corinth angered  Corinth, Megara, Aegina complaining to Sparta Potidaea 432 BC o • Corinthian colony



o

• Important trading centre in Athenian empire

o o

• Welcomed Corinthian officials into city every year • Showed support for Corinth

o • Athenians besieged city & took over it Megara 432 BC o • Pericles proposed a decree that banned Megarians from trading with any o Athenian controlled markets in Aegean & Black Sea o o

• Caused considerable hardship & forced Megarians to request assistance from the Spartans & other members of Peloponnesian League

PELEPONNESIAN WAR  SEE CAUSES/STRATEGIES/LEADERSHIP DOTPOINT

BUILDING PROGRAM  

Carried out an impressive program designed to glorify Athens and ensure employment for the masses – Plutarch Building achievements o The Parthenon o Temple of Athena Nike o Temple of Hephaestus o Propylaea and the Odeon



  





o The middle wall connecting Athens to the Piraeus – Burn Three priorities which were worked towards ∼ a. Wanted Athens to be political & cultural leader of Greek world è he was patriotic Athenian & thought it was reasonable that resources of DL be used to build city of great importance b. Argued Athens had been destroyed twice so Greeks owed it to Athens to help rebuild city ∼ i. Wanted to thank & praise Athena & gods for saving whole of Greek world for ravages of Persians ∼ c. Wanted to provide employment to unskilled workers è artists/craftsmen & tradesmen/laborers Athens became the cultural centre of Greece Thucydides announced however that Pericles actions were “barefaced tyranny” People involved in the program included: Artists and craftsman  architects, sculptors, modellers, painters, coppersmiths, workers in gold/ivory, stonemasons and engravers. David Malcolm Lewis: “Pericles argued that the allies were paying for their defence and if that was assured, Athens did not have to account for how the money was actually spent” Plutarch: “The most wonderful thing was the speed with which was completed, the entire project carried in the high summer of one man’s administration”

LEGACY OF THE BUILDING PROGRAM      



Important to display Athen’s power to other allied cities Essential in maintenance and consolidation of his power Pleased demos and majority of city  giving sense of nationalism and skilled employment Is a testament to Athens and Pericles  everything still there  remains mean Athens power is remembered Testament to Athenian imperialism Many western societies have democracies similar to Athens: o Supported by Kagan who states that as Britain moved towards a fuller democracy, the Athenian democracy seemed more and more to provide a source of inspiration o This can be seen in WW1 where London buses carried posters with excerpts of Pericles Funeral Oration in an attempt to sure up the British attitude to the war o Since then Kagan has believed that the reputation of democratic Athens has generally prospered, heightening the view many modern societies hold of Pericles’ political legacy Cultural legacy had much less of an impact on later society and is therefore less significant, however it remained an important part of his legacy in the ancient world o Building program  promoted/glorified Greek Classical art and architecture  cultural legacy that was sufficient to render the name of Greece immortal to our world o Demonstrates the LT nature of this aspect of Pericles legacy o Supported by Plutarch who states that the building program caused amazement to the rest of the world  further supported by what the works look like now

o o 



Constructions also serve as an inspiration to today’s society. Cultural legacy was long and lasting

Political legacy o Extremely successful political career  very well known in todays society o Kagan states that without wise and effective leadership, democracy would have stumbled into a destructive brutality and self destructive adventurism  Peloponnesian War o Plato criticises the new juror system where the poor/old in society does not represent the whole society in which was its point. o Further opens the system to corruption. When the courts were dominated by the aristocrats, they were less likely to be influenced by corruption. In more ancient times, there were more negative views than modern day perspectives

DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOLDEN AGE 

    

Pericles had a major role in the creation of the “golden age” (period of high art and culture in Athens between the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars) + maintaining peace Promoted arts + literature  encouraged historians to write Building project Acted as a choregos  demonstrates his support for art Promoted art through an association with the greatest minds e.g. Pheidias Contributed to cultural greatness of Athens by his vision for & pride in the city he loved

ROLE AS STRATEGOS AND POLITICAN 



10 strategoi was elected each year by the ekklesia – Aristotle o Had the power to convene the ekklesia and handle matters of foreign policy o Duty of generals to carry out duties even if they found it unsound Pericles – elected as a strategos 15 times in a row o According to Burn, it is possible that Pericles held the position of general in chief (strategos autocrator)

METHODS OF MAINTAINING LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE 

Main method: his position as strategos o Military/political post allowed him to maintain his position as “first citizen” o “So, in what was nominally a democracy, power was really in the hands of the first citizen.” – Thucydides. o “The reason for this was that Pericles, because of his position, his intelligence, and his known integrity, could respect the liberty of the people and at the same time hold them in check. It was he who led them, rather than they who led him.”– Thucydides.

“He was one of the most popular speakers in the ekklesia, so much so that he took to restraining himself from speaking on minor matters, least people get tired of him”. – Burn. Abilities to gain popular support amongst the demos and deal with opposition o Building program  employment – Plutarch o



o o

Completion of full democracy  jury pay Archonship open to lower classes

PROMOTION OF ATHENIAN IMPERIALISM



Imperialism is the policy of extending the rule or authority of an empire over foreign countries by acquiring colonies and dependencies Pericles took steps to make the DL more manageable o New wave of colonisation: cleruchies  Burn – “Colonies whose members remained Athenian citizens” o Signed treaties and alliances with cities of Sicily  Athenian influence extended



RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIVIDUALS  



Friends with some of the greatest figures in 5th century Athens (many of whom were attacked for their association with Pericles) – Burn Aspasia (lover) – great conversationalist/adviser however accused of corrupting women to satisfy Pericles’ perversions – Plutarch o Aspasia  acquitted due to an emotional outburst by Pericles o She was a hetairai (prostitute) from Miletus – considered most beautiful/intelligent Hetairai o Had son with Pericles  denied citizenship under Pericles own law  After Pericles died from plague  son was legitimized and became citizen o Charged of impiety and charged with immorality  accused of corrupting women in Athens to satisfy Pericles perversions o Charged with having influence of Pericles to attack Samos to help Miletus (birthplace)  Acquitted by Pericles after an extraordinary plea. o “A woman of charm, style, intellect, extraordinary mind “ – Kagan o “She was Milesian by birth and that her...