Pericles Accomplishments

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During a time of profound political and intellectual importance, the people of Athens were in awe of their superior strategos Pericles. Regarded as "the first citizen of Athens" (Thucydides, 2.65), Pericles influential power and political career was secured from approximately 461 BCE, until his death in 429 BCE. His father Xanthippus was a renowned general and his mother Agariste, niece of the powerful Cleisthenes and member of the noble Alchmaeonidae family. Pericles favourable upbringing would assist his rise to greatness. The Athenian statesman had undoubtable vision for his empire and its everlasting glory. He was the conductor of many great battles; he promoted art, literature and knowledge through momentous architectural structures, and passed…show more content…
During Pericles younger years his father, a former strategos, was ostracized by the unstable loyalty of the people and political powers. Pericles had witnessed the unreliability of the political arena first hand and as a leader he took thoughtful sensibility in his political approaches. Pericles eased his way into the political system, according to Historian Donald Kagan, “Pericles apparently waited until political giants of an earlier generation, Themistocles and Aristides, were out of the way and Cimon was continually off on military campaigns” (Kagan 26). Pericles discussed political policies and problems with his high society friends and public servants, his subtle approach helped him prove to the people that he was committed and thoughtful in political vision. One of Pericles first significant political acts was the tribunal of Cimon in 463 B.C, this hearing was called on account of Cimon being accused of accepting Bribe. During this trial, Pericles was instated as Cimon’s prosecutor by the current Athenian democrats. In In spite of the fact he lost the case, arguably this was the start of Pericles

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