The Golden Age
of Pericles
Copyright © Clara Kim 2007. All rights reserved.
Pericles
• A wise and able
statesman who led
Athens through its
golden age
• He was honest and
fair
• Skillful politician and
inspiring speaker
• Had popular support
for 32 years
Three Goals for
Greece
1. Strengthen
democracy
2. Hold and
strengthen
the empire
3. Glorify
Athens
School of Athens
1. Strengthen Democracy
• Introduced Direct
Democracy – a form of
government where the
citizens rule directly and
not through
representatives.
• Pericles extended
democracy so that most
adult males had an equal
voice
2. Strengthen Athenian
Empire
• Strengthened Athens’ navy
– It was the most powerful navy in the
Mediterranean
• Athens’ strong navy ensured the safety of its
empire
3. Glorify Athens
• Pericles rebuilt
Athens after
the destruction
of the Persian
Wars
• Built the
Parthenon
using marble,
gold and ivory.
Parthenon
• Temple of Athena,
the patron
Goddess of Athens
Greek Art
• Sculptors tried to
create graceful,
strong and
perfectly formed
art.
• Tried to capture
movement and
sculpted bodies in
what they thought
was perfect
physical form
Greek Art
• Greek art reflected:
– A. Order
– B. Balance
– C. Proportion
• This is why Greek
art
works are
examples of
CLASSICAL ART
Greek Drama
• Greeks invented drama and
built the first theaters in the
west
• Greeks wrote 2 kinds of
plays:
– 1. Tragedy – a serious
drama about themes like
love, hate, war or
betrayal
– 2. Comedy – dramas
filled with humor and
were satires which
means they poked fun at
customs or respected
people
Greek Drama
• Famous play
writes
– Drama –
Aeschylus,
Sophocles
– Comedy –
Aristophanes
• Plays were
performed in
outdoor theaters
Pictures Cited
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Slide 1 – http://www.sacredsites.com/europe/greece/images/parthenon-500.jpg
Slide 2 – http://www.joyceimages.com/images/Ogden%20Pericles.JPG
Slide 3 – http://students.usm.maine.edu/patricia.kamp/SchoolAthens-md.jpg,
Slide 4 – http://www.internet-encyclopedia.org/upload/3/3c/Athens_Acropolis.jpg
Slide 5 – http://dl.ccc.cccd.edu/classes/internet/art100_8week/images/AACCVFT0.jpg
Slide 6 – http://www.armchairgeneral.com/wordpress/wpcontent/moviereviews/troy/07_MR_19_d_VFX_07.jpg,
http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/gallery/1132530/photo_59.jpg
Slide 7 – http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/hum/classics/Parthenon.jpg
Slide 8 – http://www.encoreeditions.com/artists/Fredericchurch/thumbs/thm_The_Parthenon_1871.jpg,
http://www.travelingclassroom.org/tcf/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/2_athina_polias.jpg
Slide 9 – http://www.marblearte.com/TSR0136.jpg
Slide 10 – http://www.sikyon.com/Athens/Monuments/athena_nike.jpg
Slide 11 – http://www.actingmonologues.org/drama1.jpg
Slide 12 – http://www.thecolefamily.com/Italy/pompeii/slide69.jpg