Pericles Facts & Worksheets

Pericles was a Greek politician and general who was a key figure in the development of the Athenian empire in a period that has been dubbed the “Golden Age of Athens”. He was largely responsible for building democracy and advancing the arts, architecture, literature, philosophy, and science in Athens at the time. Because of him, Athens became the political, cultural, and intellectual center of Greece.

See the fact file below for more information on Pericles, or you can download our 27-page Pericles worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY

• Pericles was born circa 495 BCE in Athens, Greece.
• Pericles’ father was Xanthippus, a wealthy Athenian politician who was ostracized from 484 to 480 BCE. He led the Athenian force to victory at Mycale during the Greco-Persian Wars upon his return from exile.
• Pericles’ mother, Agariste, belonged to the aristocratic Alcmaeonidae family.
• Xanthippus and Agariste’s marriage has been called a “dynastic” marriage because of the latter’s culturally powerful lineage.
• Greek historian Herodotus said that shortly before Pericles was born, Agariste dreamed that she bore a lion. 
• The name Pericles is derived from the Greek words “peri” and “kleos”, which respectively mean “around” and “glory”, thus Pericles’ name means “surrounded by glory”.
• It can be said that Pericles lived up to his name by making Athens one of the richest city-states of the time.
• Through his family’s affluence and nobility, Pericles was able to focus on his education.
• He thrived in the company of artists, music masters, and philosophers.
• He was friends with Athenian philosophers Protagoras, Anaxagoras, and Zeno of Elea.
• Anaxagoras had possibly influenced Pericles in the way he calmly yet charismatically spoke and was skeptical about divine phenomena.
• Pericles’ father was believed to pass away around 479 BCE.

ADULTHOOD

•  The earliest recorded fact about Pericles was when he sponsored the play “The Persians” by Aeschylus at the Dionysia Festival in 472 BCE.
• The play presented support for Athens’ populist leader Themistocles over the aristocrat Cimon who also happened to be Pericles’ future political rival. 
• In his 20s, he had demonstrated that he was a wealthy patron of the arts.

EARLY POLITICAL CAREER

• From the arts, Pericles shifted his focus to politics and entered political leadership by the early 460s BCE.
• In 463 BCE, he became the principal prosecutor of Cimon, the leading general and statesman of the conservative faction. 
• Cimon was accused of allegedly betraying Athens but was later acquitted.
• Though he was unsuccessful in ostracizing Cimon, Pericles proved that his political rival was not invincible.
• Pericles subsequently emerged as the leader of the democratic faction in Athens.
• Around 461 BCE, Pericles teamed up with democratic leader Ephialtes in taking aim at the Areopagus, an old noble council controlled by the Athenian aristocracy.
• They organized a vote in the popular assembly called the Ecclesia that diminished the Areopagus’ influence as the most powerful body of the state.
• The Ecclesia adopted Ephialtes’ proposal unopposed, which marked the birth of Athenian democracy which many historians dubbed as “radical democracy”.
• Under radical democracy, all citizens of Athens (not just the wealthy ones) were financially incentivized by the state to participate in public affairs.
• It enabled lower-class Athenians called thetes to participate.

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

• Ephialtes was assassinated in 461 BCE, so Pericles succeeded him as Athens’ most prominent politician.
• He spent the rest of his life dedicated to leading the popular assembly and Athens’ development.
• His major political opponent, Cimon, used wealth to gain public favor.
• Cimon was ostracized in 461 BCE for allegedly aiding Sparta and betraying Athens.
• In 443 BCE, Pericles was elected one of Athens’ foremost generals, called strategos; he held that position until his death.

LATER CAREER

• In the later years of his career, Pericles rebuilt Athens in the aftermath of the Greco-Persian war.
• Much of Pericles’ career in Greece was spent in constant war with Persia between 461 BCE and 451 BCE.
• The Delian League was formed after the second Persian invasion of Greece in 479 BCE.
• Pericles also boosted Athens’ influence within the Delian League, a military alliance of Greek city-states unified to fight the Persians.
• The Delian League signed the Peace of Callias, which effectively ushered in an era of peace with the Persians, which began around 449 BCE.
• After the war ended, Pericles held a meeting where he suggested that the Greek temples the Persians demolished be reconstructed as a peace offering.
• Hence, the Parthenon was built.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF ATHENS

• What is now known as the Golden Age of Athens, also dubbed as the Age of Pericles, is dated from 449 to 431 BCE.
• Democratic rule was the highlight of this era.
• Considered one of Pericles’ top achievements, the Parthenon was a towering temple that stood proudly on the hill of the Acropolis and was dedicated to the goddess Athena.
• Other notable structures that were built because of Pericles’ influence were the temple of Athena Nike and the Erechtheum.
• These well-engineered and aesthetically gorgeous buildings made of marble were built during the 440s and 430s BCE.
• Philosophy and fine arts also took flourished during this time which shaped the cultural revolution in Athens.
• Pericles gave free rein to the leading intellects, writers, and artists of that time.
• He maintained close friendships with the playwright Sophocles and the sculptor Phidias.
• Pericles provided subsidy theater admission for lower-class citizens.
• He also pushed for civic participation by offering pay for civil service.

ROMANTIC LIFE

• Pericles was married earlier in his life, but historians did not record his wife’s name.
• After his divorce, he formed a long-term relationship with his consort, Aspasia of Miletus, who taught rhetoric to the young philosopher Socrates and was among the most popular women of ancient Greece.
• Their son Pericles the Younger became legitimate by law in 451 BCE.

MASTER ORATOR

• Aside from being an influential political leader, Pericles was also a notable orator.
• He spotlighted the greatness of the Athenian empire in his speeches and elegies.
• His most famous speech is the “Funeral Oration,” which he delivered after the first year of the Peloponnesian War.

END OF THE GOLDEN AGE AND PERICLES’ DEATH

• The Golden Age of Athens did not last forever.
• At the beginning of 431 BCE, the Second Peloponnesian War kicked off, resulting in Sparta defeating Athens.
• During the war’s early years, a plague hit Athens, and around 20,000 people died.
• Pericles and his two legitimate sons were among the victims.

LEGACY

• The historian Thucydides called Pericles “the first citizen of Athens” to honor his legacy and influence.
• Pericles is wearing a helmet in his existing images and statues, symbolizing his service as an Athenian general. 
• The helmet also covered up his oversized head, which was his well-known physical feature.

Pericles Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Pericles across 27 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Pericles. He was largely responsible for building democracy and advancing the arts, architecture, literature, philosophy, and science in Athens at the time. Because of him, Athens became the political, cultural, and intellectual center of Greece.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Pericles Facts
2. His Early Years
3. Right About Pericles
4. Milestone Timeline
5. Pericles Crossword
6. Circle of Friends
7. Decisive Response
8. Peri-Quotes
9. Political Rivals
10. Funeral Oration
11. Golden Age of Athens

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Pericles?

Pericles was an influential statesman and general in ancient Athens during the 5th century BCE. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest leaders of ancient Greece.

What were some of Pericles’ achievements?

Pericles is known for his leadership during the Golden Age of Athens. He implemented democratic reforms, strengthened Athenian democracy, and expanded the city’s empire through military victories and alliances. He also initiated numerous construction projects, including the construction of the Parthenon on the Acropolis.

What role did Pericles play in Athenian democracy?

Pericles played a significant role in shaping and strengthening Athenian democracy. He introduced reforms that increased the power of the assembly, allowing even poorer citizens to participate in politics. He also implemented pay for public officials, which made it possible for poorer citizens to serve in government.

How did Pericles influence the arts and culture of Athens?

Pericles was a patron of the arts and culture in Athens. Under his leadership, Athens became a center of artistic and intellectual activity. He supported playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides, and encouraged the creation of magnificent sculptures and architectural masterpieces, such as the Parthenon.

What was the significance of Pericles’ Funeral Oration?

Pericles’ Funeral Oration is a famous speech he delivered during the Peloponnesian War. The speech honored Athenian soldiers who had died in battle and praised the virtues of Athenian democracy and its citizens. It emphasized the importance of individual freedom and the idea that Athens was a model for other city-states to follow, contributing to the glorification of Athenian democracy and identity.

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