Statesman · 495 BC – 429 BC
Pericles
Little-Known Facts
- His Funeral Oration, recorded by Thucydides, is one of the most famous speeches in history.
- He died of the plague that swept Athens during the Peloponnesian War.
Myths & Misconceptions
Did Pericles rule Athens as a king?
No — Athens was a democracy; Pericles led through persuasion and repeated election to high office, not by hereditary or absolute power.