The Golden Age of Greece can be defined as a period of flourishing. Athens made the important decision to secede from Sparta, with which it was constantly at odds. “It was from this split that the Athenian Empire was born” (Hunt 80). This split illustrates the certainty the Athenians possessed in terms of creating a better nation. Athens developed an empire because democracy was expensive. To create a democracy, you need an empire capable of raising funds. Sparta and Athens created different leagues in an attempt to intensify their dominance. The Delian League, with which Athens was associated, continued to prosper. This gave them the opportunity to create a democratic nation in which the people would enjoy the freedom they had always fought for. The individual determined to create a democratic nation was Pericles. He revised and renovated Athenian democracy. It was during his time that the American Constitution was born. Pericles lowered the standard of citizenship, which meant you had to make more money to pay people. The poor were even capable of being Athenian citizens. In doing so, he also limited citizenship to those who were purely Athenian. He stated that “if an Athenian married a non-Athenian woman, then her children would not be considered Athenian citizens” (Hunt 83). Pericles did this to ensure high value to Athenian citizenship. However, Athenians understood that Athenian citizenship is a privilege. It is something that should be cherished and not exploited. Pages 3 and 4 Pericles' funeral oration allowed Athens to prosper in its golden age. This has helped to change people’s mindsets in a positive way. People no longer simply focus on what they want... middle of paper ...... because bravery is referred to as moral courage and leads the individual to become virtuous. Additionally, Aristotle believed that one could achieve a state of Kaloskagahtos if one possessed virtue, justice, self-control, and phronesis. If this state is achieved, one will be considered virtuous. Likewise, Pericles addresses the people in his speech emphasizing the importance of being virtuous, which happens when one is courageous, able to control one's desires, and able to reason correctly in different situations. The philosophy of Aristotle and The Funeral Oration of Pericles complement each other. Works CitedHunt, Lynn, Thomas R. Martin, and Barabara H. Rosenwein. The creation of the West: peoples and cultures. Boston: Bedford, 2012. Print.Lualdi, Katharine J. Sources of the Creation of the West: People and Cultures. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin's, 2012. Print.