Download Evidence Pericles

What Does the Evidence Tell Us?
Evidence about Pericles’ rule
 Ostracon  a piece of pottery to vote for ostracism (Pericles had fear of
ostracism)
 Ingratiated (won over) the people
 Aristophanes and Old Comedy
o Compared Pericles to Zeus (thought he was a Tyrant)
 Tyrannical power
 Aloofness
 Sexual prowess
o Called him an “onionhead” as he had a bald patch that he was self
conscious about
o Started the war because he wanted to defer allegations of
embezzlement
 “Thereupon, pissed, his almightiness Pericles/lightninged,
thundered, and screwed up Greece.”
o Criticising the jurors pay
o Aspasia  “a dog-eyed whore”
 Blamed for Pericles siding with Samos and Miletus
o Political satire aims to find a target  Pericles is an Olympian
figure, compared to Zeus by Aristophanes
 Archaeological Evidence  Decree on a tablet
o Spring house decree
 Collecting water  Demos said no; allowed the people to
speak and people did not want water to be bribed
o Pericles generally
o Emphasis on public service
o Tried to ingratiate himself with the people
o Sponsorship  liturgy
o Involvement of the Delian League (military)
 Tribute lists; reveals economics of the empire
 Public display of Athenian Empire
 Evidence of subjugation and rebellions  Pericles
established tighter control (Phoros)
 Coinage decree
 Megarian decree
 Chalcis decree
o Parthenon  “chief ornament of the building program”
 Employment for Athenians  rowers in the winter
 Extravagant  “School of Hellas” (public service)
 Speed
 Driven, developing society
 Legacy and influence  key sight of Athens (inspiring
tourism)
 Deliberate program to beautify and create a legacy
o Ostraka
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Used also to ostracise Pericles’ enemy (Thucydides, Son of
Melesias)
He was able to deflect criticism, was not ostracised  able
to maintain power deliberately shaped policy to the people
Account for modern and ancient interpretations of Pericles
Modern
Ancient
Pericles as a dominant political figure
of the 2nd half
 Biographical account by
Plutarch
 Thucydides  idealised
representation
 Critical views presented by
conservative playwrights
Introduction
 Dominant political figure
o Biographical account by Plutarch
o Thucydides  idealised representation
o Critical views presented by conservative playwrights
Popularity
o Elected 16 times as strategos
o Never ostracised, despite evidence of Ostracon with his name
inscribed
 What reasons do sources give for his popularity?
o Personal skills (oratorical skills)  common agreement between
Plutarch and Thucydides
o Plutarch  cornered his opponents in a method of question and
answer
o Thucydides  it was he who led them not they who led he
 “First citizen”  everyone is equal except Pericles
 Most positive
 Suggests that Pericles’ policy to make Athens “an island” by
completing the long walls and building up naval power gave
Athens the capability to win a long drawn out war against
Sparta
 Unrealistic but maintained
o Political skills
 Democratic reforms
 Enabling him to win over the demos in this emerging
democratic society. Plutarch recognises the importance of
his reforms (1 2 3)
o Building program
Spending all the money from the Delian League to beautify
Athens
 Conservative writes such as the old oligarch (?)
 Modern perceptions of Pericles are shaped by contemporary value of
democracy
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