Pericles (Civ4)/Civilopedia

Pericles was a model statesman, a beloved citizen, and a determined general, leading Athens during its golden era of prosperity. Pericles was born in 495 BC in the Greek city state of Athens to the wealthy Alcmaeonid family. Though he later went on to lead Athens through the Peloponnesian war, he spent the majority of his early life in quiet study. It is believed that his studies in philosophy greatly influenced his later political career, and Pericles would use his influence with the Athenian people to further promote the arts and literature.
Pericles debuted on the political stage in 472 BC when he sponsored the Persae of Aeschylus, a popular tragedy, during the spring festival of Dionysus. This cemented his position as a wealthy and influential man in the minds of the citizens, and gave him the influence necessary to assist in breaking up the Areopagus, a traditional council of wealthy landowners that ruled over Athens, and later to banish Cimon - one of his key political rivals.
Some scholars have attributed several of the democratic institutions created by Pericles to the eventual downfall of Athens. The Athenian democratic structure was fundamentally flawed - in order to sustain their high quality of life the Athenians would need to subjugate other city states for the tribute they could provide. In the short term, however, this system helped create a powerhouse economy that threatened Sparta and eventually sparked the Peloponnesian war.
Following a heavily defensive strategy, Pericles convinced the people to avoid direct confrontation with Sparta and its allies in favor of quick raids and overseas attacks which would make use of Athens's superior navy. The end result of the campaign would never be seen, as in 430 BC, just two years after the start of the war, a plague broke out in Athens, decimating the population and claiming the lives of Pericles' legitimate children and, eventually, his own.