The Athens of Pericles
461–432 BCEAthens and the Greek world, not on the map
about 2,471 years ago
The Golden Age of Athens in the 5th century BCE, when the city was guided by the statesman and orator Pericles.
The Golden Age of Athens refers to the ancient Greek city-state of Athens in the 5th century BC.
With the empire's funds, military dominance and its political fortunes guided by statesman and orator Pericles
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
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In short
The era is traditionally dated from 478 BCE, when an Athenian-led alliance, the Delian League, took on the Persians.
This era is traditionally heralded to having begun in 478 BC, after the defeat of the Persian invasion, when an Athenian-led coalition of city-states, known as the Delian League, confronted the Persians
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Pericles was active in the government of Athens from 461 until his death in 429 BCE, an era of splendour.
From 461 until his death in 429 BC Pericles was active in the government of Athens, an era of splendour and a standard of living higher than any previously experienced.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
The League treasury, moved from Delos to Athens, paid for building the Acropolis and put half the population on the public payroll.
relocated the Delian League treasury from Delos to Athens, where it funded the building of the Athenian Acropolis, put half its population on the public payroll
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Playwrights Sophocles and Euripides, historians Herodotus and Thucydides, and Socrates worked in 5th-century BCE Athens.
The playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides all lived and worked in 5th-century BC Athens, as did the historians Herodotus and Thucydides, the physician Hippocrates and the philosophers Plato and Socrates.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Pericles in power
Pericles shaped Athens as one of ten generals, elected each year, who served as both military officers and diplomats.
Every year the citizens elected ten "strategoi" (singular "strategos"), or generals, who served as both military officers and diplomats. It was through this position that Pericles shaped 5th-century BC Athens.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Elected in 445 BCE, Pericles held the post until his death in 429 BCE, an exception to the one-year limit on offices.
Pericles stepped in and was elected in 445 BC, a post he held continuously until his death in 429 BC, always by election of the Athenian Assembly.
A magistrate's post did not last more than a year, including that of the strategos and in this sense the continued selection of Pericles year after year was an exception.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
A great speaker, Pericles had tremendous success in the Assembly; one popular reform let thetes (Athenians without wealth) hold office.
Pericles was a great speaker; this quality brought him tremendous success in the Assembly, presenting his vision of politics.
One of his most popular reforms was to allow thetes (Athenians without wealth) to occupy public office.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
His government created misthophoria, a salary for jurors, so citizens could serve without financial hardship.
Another success of his administration was the creation of the misthophoria (μισθοφορία, which literally means paid function), a special salary for the citizens that attended the courts as jurors.
This way, these citizens were able to dedicate themselves to public service without facing financial hardship.
With this system, Pericles succeeded in keeping the courts full of jurors
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
How the democracy worked
Magistrates were chosen by lot, drawing black or white beans, to cut out the personal influence of the rich.
The magistrates were chosen by lot, using fava beans. Black and white beans were put in a box and depending on which color the person drew out they obtained the post or not.
This was a way of eliminating the personal influence of rich people and possible intrigues and use of favors.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Only two kinds of post were elected by the Assembly instead: the generals (strategoi) and the magistrate of finance.
There were only two categories of posts not chosen by lot, but by election in the Popular Assembly. These were strategoi, or general, and magistrate of finance.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
The Assembly met forty times a year on the Pnyx hill; at most about 6,000 citizens are estimated to have attended.
however the maximum number which came to congregate is estimated at 6,000 participants. The gathering place was a space on the hill called Pnyx, in front of the Acropolis.
The sessions sometimes lasted from dawn to dusk. The ecclesia occurred forty times a year.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Arts and ideas
Pericles began rebuilding the Acropolis, ruined by a Persian fire, in white marble from nearby Pentelicon; the work took 20 years.
The reconstruction of the Acropolis of Athens, the marble city for the glory of the gods. The site had suffered from a fire started by the Persians and lay in ruins for more than 30 years.
Pericles initiated its reconstruction with white marble brought from the nearby quarry of Pentelicon.
The construction lasted 20 years. Financing came from the Delian League.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Phidias, thought the greatest sculptor of the era, made a colossal gold-plated ivory Athena for inside the Parthenon.
Phidias is considered the greatest sculptor of this era. He created colossal gold-plated ivory statues ("chryselephantine statues"), generally face and hands, which were highly celebrated and admired in his own time: Athena, situated in the interior of the Parthenon
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
The ideas of Socrates survive mainly in dialogues by his student Plato, who mixed them with his own.
Chief among these were Socrates, whose ideas exist primarily in a series of dialogues by his student Plato, who mixed them with his own
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Pericles and his mistress Aspasia could mix with scholars such as the philosopher Anaxagoras and the historian Herodotus.
Pericles and his mistress Aspasia had the opportunity to associate with not only the great Athenians thinkers of their day but also other Greek and foreign scholars.
Among them were the philosopher Anaxagoras, the architect Hippodamus of Miletus, who reconstructed Peiraeus, as well as the historians Herodotus (484–425)
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Strains and the end
Moving the treasury from Delos, on the pretext it was unsafe, caused friction and revolts; some scholars speak of an empire from then.
The treasury was originally held on the island of Delos, but Pericles moved it to Athens under the pretext that Delos wasn't safe enough.
This resulted in internal friction within the league and the rebellion of some city-states that were members. Athens retaliated quickly and some scholars believe this to be the period wherein it would be more appropriate to discuss an Athenian Empire instead of a league.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Delian League members grew dissatisfied with Athens, which dominated them, and wanted their independence.
members of the Delian League were increasingly dissatisfied. Athens was the city-state that dominated and subjugated the rest of Greece and these oppressed citizens wanted their independence.
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Taking advantage of the general dissent of the Greek city-states, the Sparta-led Peloponnesian League began to confront Athens. The Peloponnesian War followed.
a similar league between the cities of the Peloponnessus—directed and dominated by Sparta—had been founded
Taking advantage of the general dissent of the Greek city-states, this Peloponnesian League began to confront Athens.
After a long lasting series of poorly managed, hawkish policies, (c. 431 BC) and the ensuing Peloponnesian War
From Wikipedia, Athens in the 5th century BC (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-08-18.
Related
Events
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