Character Catalog

Temple dedicated to Athena Parthenos, a masterpiece of classical Greek architecture built under the direction of Phidias. It symbolizes the height of Athenian civilization under Pericles.

The monumental gateway to the Acropolis designed by the architect Mnesicles. This imposing structure reflects the grandeur Pericles envisioned for the entrance to the sanctuary of Athena.

A concert and performance hall built at the foot of the Acropolis, the first roofed building in Athens intended for musical competitions. It bears witness to the cultural policy of Pericles.

Pericles instituted a payment (misthos) for jurors and magistrates, enabling poorer citizens to actively participate in political life. This reform deepened Athenian democracy.

A speech delivered at the funeral of the first Athenian soldiers killed in the Peloponnesian War. This text is considered the greatest definition of democracy from Antiquity.

Pericles transformed the defensive alliance against Persia into a maritime empire dominated by Athens, using tribute from allies to finance the city's power and influence.

Pericles surpassed all others not only in eloquence, but also in the nobility of his life and the purity of his character. He was never known for corruption or baseness.

Athens is the school of Greece, and each Athenian is capable of adapting to the most varied situations with remarkable grace and versatility.

Our constitution does not copy the laws of neighbouring states; we are rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves. Its administration favours the many instead of the few; this is why it is called a democracy.

He reproached Pericles for squandering the allies' money to beautify Athens, like a vain woman adorning herself with precious stones and gilded statues.

Sacred hill where Pericles had the Parthenon, the Propylaea and the Erechtheion built. This vast construction project, entrusted to Phidias, made Athens the most beautiful city in the Greek world.

Hill in Athens where the Ecclesia, the Assembly of citizens, convened. It was from this rostrum that Pericles delivered his speeches and persuaded the Athenian people of his policies.

The great port of Athens, connected to the city by the Long Walls whose construction Pericles reinforced. This port was the heart of the maritime and commercial power of the Athenian empire.

Sacred island in the Aegean Sea where the treasury of the Delian League was held. Pericles had this treasury transferred to Athens around 454 BC, thereby funding the great works of the Acropolis.

Village in Attica where Pericles was born, son of Xanthippus and Agariste, an aristocratic family of the Alcmaeonids. This deme is a reminder of his noble origins despite his commitment to democracy.

Pericles is almost always depicted wearing his crested bronze helmet, a symbol of his role as strategos. He also wore it in public to conceal the unusual shape of his skull.

A common writing medium in ancient Athens, used to draft decrees, legislative proposals, and speeches. Pericles recorded his proposals on them before submitting them to the Assembly.

A two-handled ceramic cup used at banquets (symposia) where Athenian elites debated politics and philosophy. Pericles frequented these intellectual circles alongside Aspasia and Socrates.

The architects Ictinus and Callicrates presented their plans to Pericles in the form of scale models. He personally oversaw the great building project on the Acropolis, entrusted to his friend the sculptor Phidias.

An instrument used to sound signals at sea, a reminder that Athens under Pericles was above all a maritime power. The Athenian fleet was the essential tool of his empire.

Under Pericles, a stipend was introduced to allow poorer citizens to participate in democratic life (court juries, assemblies). These tokens symbolize his landmark democratic reform.