Was Pericles A Good Leader

Pericles

What does it mean to be a leader? According to Bill Owens, "True leadership lies in guiding others to success. In ensuring that everyone is performing at their best, doing the work they are pledged to do and doing it well." (Owens). Pericles' leadership was a near perfect representation of this. Born in Athens, Greece in 495 BCE, Pericles son of Xanthippus: Athenian general and member of an aristocratic family, was always expected to be a great statesman, and he delivered. Not only did he turn out to be a great statesman, his serious yet aloof leadership style lead ancient Athens to become the great country praised in the history books today. Although, things didn't go his way in the very end, Pericles' positive

role in Ancient Greek history and history as a whole is undeniable. Pericles' leading feats include the creation of the first democracy, strengthening the Athenian navy, and leading Athens to its golden age.
Pericles laid a foundation for all modern democracies to follow.

Although, Pericles was originally elected as a strategos and was only expected to serve one term his popularity led him to be re-elected multiple times. His take on the government brought new economic stability to Athens, and benefited its people. Some may have thought that he was greedy liar, but they hadn't considered the fact that unlike other leaders and politicians of the time he never excepted gifts from the aristocracy in exchange for favors. He made sure that all government officials were payed for their jobs. He also allowed all citizens of Athens which was about 20% of the population, to participate in the government and politics through voting, which was more than any other civilization in the ancient world. He spoke straight, in fact it was his talent as a speaker that impressed people the most. His talent as a speaker got people to agree to many of his proposals. One of these many proposals was to strengthen the Athenian military mainly its

Navy.
Pericles understood the importance of a strong navy in the ancient world. He knew that it was a strong naval force that had gotten Athens through the Persian wars, and he sought to make sure that that navy became even stronger. He took money form the Delian league treasury in order to take Athens' 200 ship navy and make it the strongest in the ancient world. This was a navy that was capable of protecting Athens and all of its Delian league allies which showed that Pericles had taken responsibility for keeping Athens' allies safe. It was Athens' military strength that allowed it to rival even that of Sparta throughout the the first 20 years of the Peloponnesian war. Without its feared navy Athens wouldn't have been able to stand out militarily in the ancient world. Another one of Pericles' proposals dealt with the face of the city itself.
It's no secret that after the Persian wars Athens was not in its best shape.

Pericles, like so many other Athenians, wanted Athens to once again be glorious. He created a massive building program designed to improve Athens and its reputation. During this period of time many important cultural buildings and places were reconstructed including the Acropolis which was the former home of many sacred temples. Among the new temple building projects was the Parthenon a huge temple that has since become a Greek staple and a major historical and cultural landmark. With a new age of creativity came newfound advances in the arts. These advances would give a foundation for the arts of today. Athens had reached the age of peace and prosperity one that it had never seen before and never would see

again.
In Conclusion, Pericles was a respectable and charismatic ruler who's goal was to bring glory back to his city and its people. His alliance in the Delian league could be though of as a precursor to organizations like the United Nations today. Those who may have thought he was selfish and egotistical never saw him show his compassionate side:
If deeds be in question, those who are here interred have received part of their honours already, and for the rest, their children will be brought up till manhood at the public expense: the state thus offers a valuable prize, as the garland of victory in this race of valour, for the reward both of those who have fallen and their survivors. And where the rewards for merit are greatest, there are found the best citizens. (Thucydides)

At his core Pericles was a passionate ruler that was taken away from his people too soon. Even so, his impact left and imprint on all Greece, and soon that impact would spread through the whole world. So, with in mind we are left to ask just one thing, What would Athens and the world today be like without Pericles?