Pericles Foreign Policy Essay

In the Aftermath of the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta, Pericles, Athens’ general and statesmen, delivered a powerfully comforting eulogy to the polis of Athens, assuring the people that their city state is in good hands, and easing the pain of all the families and relatives of the deceased. He uses several rhetorical devices throughout his speech to gain a positive emotional appeal by his audience and makes assertions in the attempt to enhance and transform the perception of him by the audience.

What qualities of Athenian life does Pericles mention? How do these contrast with those that Archidamus points out for Sparta? The qualities of the Athenian life that Pericles mentions are that they are far from practicing a jealous surveillance over each other because they do not feel like they should be angry with there neighbors for doing what they like, but all there private relations does not make them lawless as citizens. He also say’s that they provide plenty of means for there mind to refresh itself from the business, that they celebrate games and sacrifices all the year round. On the other hand Sparta is war-like, because they have self control and they honor bravery. They are also educated with the laws and with a self-control to

There is also the argument of whether Pericles was actually a leader or just got carried away by the masses. Plutarch said, ‘he was no longer the same man as before, nor alike submissive to the people and ready to yield and give in to the desires of the multitude as a steersman to the breezes.’ Here, Plutarch suggests, Pericles had no leadership over the Athenians and that he put the city in chaos to do as they could do what they want which is supported by others saying he made the Athenians idle, talkative and greedy (Plato). This motion would however have to be rejected with strong evidence against it in his speeches and oratory skills.

Pericles and Constantine were examples of great leaders in the ancient world. Under their rule, changes were made. Both led armies into battles against others. However, they both had a different style of leading and gave different effects on their citizens. Although they are both respected leaders, they affected different aspects of their civilizations. Pericles greatly improved the arts and literature of Athens, whereas Constantine enacted administrative, financial, social and military reforms to the Roman Empire, as well as decreed tolerance for Christianity within the empire. However, among all the leaders of the Archaic Period,

In his ambitions to conquer Sicily and then move on to Italy and the Peloponnesus, he also shows this thirst.12 The Athenians recognized Alcibiades's brilliance and ruthlessness so they elected Nicias as a general to "[temper] his rashness."13 Alcibiades resorted to violence to gain glory, Pericles, on the other hand, attempted to prolong peace and settle matters with diplomacy. He once tried to persuade the cities to send delegates to meet in Athens to discuss restorations of temples destroyed during the war with Persia, but nothing came of his plan because of Spartan opposition.14 He even went so far as to bribe the chief magistrates of Sparta to buy time to prepare for war, which he knew was inevitable.15

A reading of Thucydides’, Pericles’ Funeral Oration and The Melian Dialogue uncovers both contrasting and comparable viewpoints on Athenian politics, power, aims of war, and empire. Thucydides presents two differing characteristics of Athens, one as the civilizer in Pericles’ funeral oration and the other as an tyrant in the Melian dialogue. In the funeral oration delivered by Pericles during the first year of the war, the Athenian leader emphasizes the idealized personal image of the Athenians in regard to their constitution and good character. Pericles goes on to praise the Athenian democratic institution of Athens that contributes to their cities greatness; in Pericles’s own words, “The Athenian administration favors the many instead of few… they afford equal justice to all of their differences” (112, 2.37). This quote emphasizes the good character of the Athens’ to coax and encourage the Athenians to preserve and better their great empire into the future. On the other hand, in the Melian dialogue, this notion of justice and equality is irrelevant; one, because Athens compared to Melos, is the stronger of the two and thus, is more powerful. Further, Athens, will continue to acquire absolute power and build its empire by conquering Melos and whomever else stands in its way. Through Pericles’ funeral oration and the Melian dialogue, the following conclusions/themes will demonstrate both the changing and somewhat stable nature of Athenian policy with regards to empire,

Pericles articulates a strong sense of pride for the Athenian self-image through praising their ancestors, fathers, and the fallen. Pericles stated, “I shall begin with our ancestors: it is both just and proper that they should have the honor of the first mention on and occasion like the present. They dwelt in the country without break in the succession from generation to generation, and handed it down free to the present time by their valor.” The Athenian’s ancestors allowed for the future greatness and the ultimate formation of the government through their great and honorable patriotism. Their ancestors passed down the empire to the fathers of Pericles and other citizens, who only further added greatness to the inherited empire and began forming national habits. However, this greatness was earned through military achievements allowing for the possessions enjoyed by the current citizens, who gained the city from their fathers. The current Athenians, both dead and alive, further progressed the Athenian control and greatness as their successors already did. Pericles stated, “There are few parts of our dominions that have not been augmented by those of us here, who are still more or less in the vigor of life; while the mother country has been furnished by us with everything that can enable her to

Pericles was great as a leader, and he used all his skills as a logical man in order to occupy Athenians who weren’t involved in the army and who were unskilled. Because he did not want them to just get benefited from national income for doing nothing, he proposed to them different plans for public works and buildings where all kinds of industries could be involved. Since he didn’t have money of his own he was spending public money for building, and that is what he was accused of by Thucydides and other members of his party. Using the knowledge of psychology of people, Pericles knew how to persuade people in the Assembly. He didn’t have his own money, but still made the Athenians believe as though he did; and his reply to the accusation was as follows:

Pericles's speech first gave praise to the ancestors, for which they are the people who built the city from the ground up and fought for democracy. He speaks of the ancestors with great honor and valor and that it was them who gave birth to Athens. He perceives Athens as a city with virtue, modesty, and modernization. It is a city who doesn't isolate itself from other governing states. Pericles announce that they aren't afraid to show their culture to the world and any foreigners may come and learn or observe from them. He suggests Athens is a country that welcomes foreigners and they

Themistocles and Pericles both greatly ruled Greece. Through victorious wars and influential art, Greek history is what is today due to such powerful leaders. However, Pericles influenced today's society, and Greek culture increasingly more than Themistocles. For example, Pericles incorporated his wife into politics (helping dominate gender roles), all the while bridging social classes.

Pericles shaped his campaigning around pleasing the masses. Thucydides’ political strategy was to get all of his supporters to sit together in the assembly. Unfortunately for him, there were not many to support him against Pericles. Strategically, Pericles gave nearly all of the political power to the people. This was the reason he was known as the ‘first citizen of democratic Athens by the historian Thucydides.

Pericles was born in 495 B.C. E in Cholargos north of Athens. Pericles was an influential orator, leader and general during Athens golden age between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars. Pericles popularized arts and literature and was the main reason Athens holds the reputation of being the educational and cultural center of the ancient Greek world. During Pericles rule, Athens developed its Acropolis, the elevated citadel that held the most important buildings and temples. These building where so architecturally

Pericles would have been willing to negotiate had not the slow-moving but deliberate Spartans backed him into a corner with their ultimatum. The outbreak of the war occurred when the Spartans issued ultimatums to Athens, which the men of the Athenian

Alexander the Great had an amazing political and military mind. With the tutelage of his father, Philip II, and a great education, he became one of the best leaders of all time. And even as a boy, many knew Alexander’s destiny was to rule.

Pericles to a large extent contributed to the Golden Age of Athens as the most influential citizen, is agreed by all ancient and modern historians such as Plutarch, Ehrenburg and Burn.