The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-12-03
ATHENS IN YE DAYS O. PBR1CLEs

! To the Editor Of the Eagle
Inoted an inquiry in the EAGLE con
corning the population of Athens in the
! time of Pericles. Not observing any
answer, l give my opinion of same
based on other historical data. PericleS
came into Athenian politics B. c. 469-
as a democratic leader He might be
called the Jefferson OF that date, as
| Cimon was the Alexander Hamilton.
He was the progressive statesman as
CimOn was the aristCcraticaL He was q
composite Grant Blaine Chauncey De,
pew and Harrison combined in one. He
fought, GRATED, lavished money and ban
ished his enemIes-but as l am not writ
ing his history we will desist.
If we allow Pericles to be 30 years OLD
on Ills entry into public life, he was over
60 years old at the date Of the Pelopen.
nesian war. 3. c.. 1872. The Spartans
had 100 600 troops in the field. If we
allow Pericles the same number, raised
by Athens and five allies equally, Athens
had 10000 men in the field, and
naturally we suppose more than that
number at home. II we count 5ne-third
in the field-then Athens had $4,000
men-from which we argue population
of near one-quarter of a million people.
But we would suppose that Athens fur
nished more men than any of her allies
in the war, therefore we suppose the
population greater.
We learn that Pericles was the author
of the system of paying jurymen and
that annually 5000 men. presumably
citizens, were drawn on the jury. of
whom the greater part sat daily. From
this we draw the conclusion that these
people were litigious cusses or had pop
ulation equal to New York City and
Brooklyn, whose jury list is over ), 200
per year; but, as we know nothing of
the jury system of that date, we can
Only guess at the population.
We read that at this date the poorer
citizens were furnished theater tickets
from the public treasury. This was in
deed a picnic, aud doubtless was worked
by some councilman in the pay of the
management OF the theater company
But as the theater was built before the
law was passed and seated over 40, 600
people, we suppose that the population
was at least ten times the seating capaci-
ty; but this is only a guess.
When we consider the buildings of
Athens in the Periclesian age we are
struck with the cost of the same, and as
they were built at public Cost-and we
do NOT read Of any ora crpI. ~. pOnuli St
uprising on account OF high taXes-we
must suppose that taxes were low and
the government revenues larger than even
the Mckinley bill; hence there must have
been a popolous and wealthy city.
The Parlhenon, we learn, had a frieze
$50 feet long and feet and inches
high on which were carved figures in low
relief, and the structure was built from
white marble. As this was built for the
public treasury buiIding-it WAS only
one of several buildings on the Acropolls
we suppose that the sculpture alone on
this cost more money and labor than any
building In the United States. Near this
building was the Erechtheum, built on
Ionic order as a contrast to the severe
sublImity Of the ParthenOn. Also near
this was the temple Athena Polias, also
the Propylaca, building which rlvaied
the Parthenon and the grand entrance
to which was IS feet wide; also the
Stadium. built near same date, wassssaid
to be $50 feet wide and $50 feet long and
seated 10, 600 people. Such buildings IN
one city suggests that there was taste,
luxury. wealth and population greater
than New York, but we give il up Ia
doubt.