the Areopagus. But after 487 B.C., the power of the Archons were reduced and Pericles than reduced the Council of the Areopaguss power to the supervision of religious rites.The only officials actually elected by public vote were the city architect and the Board of 10 Generals. The Board of 10 Generals became the real leaders of the people in the 5th century. Pericles was a major figure on this board during the 5th century.Pericles introduced state pay for service on the Council of 500 and the jury. In this way even poor citizens could take part in public life (Kagan 43). One of his more popular measures was the introduction of a law limiting Athenian citizenship to children both of whose parents were Athenians (Demand 212). This may seem like an unfair measure, but it had the effect of making citizenship a privilege and thus encouraging civic responsibility.Throughout the 440s and 430s Pericles was elected year after year to the Board of 10 generals. He was able to persuade the Assembly to support his policies of democracy at home and imperialism abroad. Along with his own personal ambition and his patriotic desire to Athens, Pericles also had lofty ideals for uplifting his fellow citizens culturally. He spent public money to beatify Athens. These public works gave employment to the citizens and the result was the embellishment of the Acropolis with the great buildings, which have made it famous ever since (Kagan 67). Yet, strangely enough and not unlike other great democrats in history, Pericles did not mix with common citizens in his personal life, which remained private and simple.Pericles reforms were highly cost demanding. He was the leader who helped Athens development into a democracy and at the same time he was also the person who transformed Athens into a greedy imperialist state. In the long run the imperialism led to the downfall of both Athens and democracy. In order to lull the citizens at home he satisfied its demands by o...
