Who was Pericles?

Pericles (circa 495-429 BC), was an Athenian statesman, so influential in Athenian history that the period of his power is called the Age of Pericles. His father was the army commander Xanthippus, victor over the Persians at Mycale in 479 BC.

In Athenian politics Pericles sought to enable all citizens to take an active part in the government. Payment of citizens for their services to the state was introduced, and members of the council were chosen by lot from the entire body of Athenians. His foreign policy was expansionist. Under the Delian League, established in defense against the Persians, the Athenians created a great naval empire and embraced, as equal or subject allies, nearly all the larger islands of the Aegean Sea and many cities to the north. When the aristocratic leader Cimon, who favored friendship with Sparta, was ostracized (banished) in 461 BC, Pericles became the undisputed leader of Athens, serving for the following 15 years.

With the great wealth that came into the treasury from the Delian League, Pericles restored the temples destroyed by the Persians and built many new structures, the most splendid of which was the Parthenon on the Acropolis. This program provided employment for the poorer citizens and made Athens the most magnificent city of the ancient world. Under Pericles' leadership Athens became a great center of literature and art. The supremacy of Athens aroused the jealousy of the other Greek city-states, especially of Sparta, long the bitter rival of Athens. The cities feared the imperialistic schemes of Pericles and sought to overthrow Athenian domination. In 431 BC the Peloponnesian War began. Pericles summoned the country residents of Attica within the walls of Athens and allowed the Peloponnesian army to ravage the country districts. The following year a plague broke out in the overcrowded city. The people, exposed to suffering and death, resented Pericles. He was deposed from office, tried, and fined for misuse of public funds, but he was soon reinstated. He died shortly thereafter.

From the ideals espoused by Pericles and Classical Athens, this fraternity was formed.