Pericles was born in Athens into an aristocratic family around 493 BC (Lewis). His father, Xanthippus, was a military leader at the Battle of Mycale in 479 BC where the last remnants of Xerxes' fleet were defeated (Halsall). Pericles' mother, Agariste, was a member of the Alcmaeonid (Lewis) family. Given that he was of aristocratic birth, Pericles obtained his education from some of the greatest minds in Greece (Lewis). He was educated musically by Damon and philosophically by Zeno of Elea and Anaxagoras (Pericles (c. 495-429)). His companions were great intellectuals such as Sophocles, Herodotus and Socrates (Pericles (c. 495-429)). One of the greatest influences in his life was Anaxagoras, under whose tutelage Pericles learned to remain calm in all situations, never allowing his opponent to sense what Pericles was really thinking (Halsall). Pericles married in his twenties, but his wife's name is unknown, which was common in this period of Greece as it was a male-dominated culture (PBS). Together they had two sons and later divorced (PBS). Pericles entered politics after the Persian War where he played a crucial role in overhauling the legal system. Pericles led the Delian League, a cooperative agreement between various Greek city-states. In addition, Pericles was responsible for the reconstruction of monuments destroyed by Xerxes and the Persians in wartime, as well as an innovative direction in artistic and cultural fields. Pericles' final political maneuver, taking war to Sparta to strengthen Athens, proved to be his downfall. Pericles' first venture into the political arena dates back to 463 BC (Pericles). The war with Persia was over and a politician named Cimon tried to emphasize a new compromise...... middle of paper ......ebster.com. November 1, 2011. PBS. “The Crucible of Greek Civilization: Pericles 493BC – 429BC.” PBS. September 22, 2011, “Pericles”. Historical world leaders. Gale, 1994. Gale biography in context. Internet. November 6, 2011. “Pericles (c. 495-429).” In 2 Greece. November 2, 2011. University Press, Inc. “Pericles.” 2008. Ancient Greece. November 1 2011 .