Chapter 77 Pericles and Athens

When mentioning the strength and prosperity of Greece, people often think of the names of the city of Athens and Pericles, because the city that best represents and reflects this strength and prosperity is Athens during the reign of Pericles, so the "Golden Age" of Greece is also Known as the "Pericles Age". Pericles (approximately 495 BC-429 BC), a famous Greek democratic politician, was born in a noble family, and was a more knowledgeable and talented person among the slave owners.After 444 BC, he served as the chief general and became the actual ruler of Athens. There are many good stories about him in Greek history.

It is said that in order to get close to the people, Pericles often went to the public to talk with ordinary people and listen to their opinions.When someone who opposed him insulted him face to face, he never got angry, let alone arrested people at will.One night, when he was walking home, a nobleman followed him and insulted him: "You madman! How shameless! You were born in a nobleman, but you forgot your friends and went to make friends with those low people!" Screaming and cursing all the way, he followed him to the door of the house.Seeing that it was already dark, Pericles asked his servants to light a torch and send those who scolded him home.

Another outstanding feature of Pericles is that he is strict with himself and governs cleanly. He has been in power for more than ten years and has never attended a banquet held by others.The only time he accepted an invitation was to his nephew's wedding, but he left before the banquet.The common people vividly said that Pericles only knew one road in Athens, and that was the road leading to the square where he could get in touch with ordinary citizens and the meeting of 500 people. In Athens, soldiers, judges, councilors, and other government workers were initially unpaid, and soldiers had to pay for weapons and horses out of their own pocket.As a result, these positions are dominated by rich people.After Pericles came to power, he stipulated that soldiers and all public officials should be paid by the state.In this way, ordinary citizens can also serve as soldiers, judges, and parliamentarians.As a result, the democratic rights of citizens have been expanded.Pericles also gave "theater subsidies" to the poor, so that they also have opportunities for cultural and entertainment.Pericles did an extraordinary event when he was in power, which had a major impact on the culture, art, tourism and commerce of Athens and the whole of Greece in the future.This major event is: rebuilding the city of Athens that was set on fire by the Persian army in 480 BC.

Under his auspices, a group of outstanding sculptors, architects, and craftsmen gathered in Athens, decorating the ancient city magnificently and magnificently.Soon, many world-famous buildings stood in the city of Athens one after another.The amphitheater, which can accommodate 14,000 spectators, often staged the tragedies and comedies of some famous playwrights, many of which had a great influence on European drama; good acoustics.The Acropolis in the center of Athens is the most outstanding architectural complex. It is built on a 150-meter-high steep hilltop and is all made of marble. The city has the most famous Parthenon Temple in Athens and the statue of Athena, the goddess of wisdom bronze statue.

Pericles contributed a lot to the prosperity and prosperity of Greece, but he experienced ups and downs and setbacks in his later years, and suffered serious blows one after another.Due to slander by others, he was removed from office on trumped-up charges.After he was reinstated as a general, his two sons died of the plague one after another. Soon, he also died of this terrible disease.Before he died, his last words were: "I have a clear conscience for Athens." Indeed, Pericles' fame and the reputation of Greece's "Golden Age" will last forever. Less than 20 years after Pericles' death, the powerful Athens was defeated by the force of another powerful city-state in Greece, Sparta.