Like other sons from elite families in fifth-century Athens, Pericles while a child was taught to read, write, do basic arithmetic, and perform, or at least study, music. Boys with wealthy backgrounds often received their early education from educated slaves owned by their families or from private tutors (Figure 10). Publicly funded schools were rare at this point in Greek history. In the next stage of his education, Pericles would have focused on developing rhetorical skill as a public speaker, as preparation for making persuasive speeches to juries in court cases, in the Council of 500 that set the agenda for the assembly and conducted other public business, and at the mass meetings of the assembly. These venues were manned by groups of male citizens numbering from the hundreds to the thousands, and they were ready to shout out criticisms of ineffective orators while they were still trying to speak to the audience. Once Pericles and his contemporaries from the upper class reached their mid- to late teens, they began accompanying their fathers and uncles to be spectators as these older relatives attended meetings and gave speeches. This informal apprenticeship allowed the youngsters to observe successful – and failed – speakers, absorbing lessons about how to conduct themselves effectively in the highly combative environment of Athenian democratic politics.

Only those speakers could succeed whose arguments demonstrated a strong knowledge of history, finance, and politics; whose use of language was intelligent and artful; whose voice was strong enough to make them clearly audible when addressing large crowds both indoors and outdoors; and whose personal toughness enabled them to withstand intense public scrutiny that often involved mockery and heckling. As Pericles in the 460s approached thirty years of age, he knew he needed special training to overcome the daunting hurdles that awaited him on his quest to become a respected and influential leader in war and peace.

A new way for young men to prepare for public careers developed in Pericles' time, a change from tradition that he embraced with enthusiasm. By the mid-sixth century, innovative Greek thinkers had been impressing – and shocking – other Greeks with their controversial ideas about the nature of the world.