By expanding the Delian League, Pericles was able to increase the power of Athens. He was able to do this because he controlled the Delian League. Ultimately, the Delian League grew significantly under Pericles' control. During his career, Pericles achieved many goals that earned him a lot of respect from the Athenian people, but some people also disrespected him. As a leader, Pericles gained the trust of the people. The Athenians respected him because he had proven himself to be a great leader. Thucydides, an Athenian historian, also respected Pericles for his singular control of Athenian democracy (Fornara OL). However, Pericles garnered some disrespect from the Athenian citizens. At one point in his life, the Athenians believed that he had relations with the mistress Aspasia. As you can see, Pericles was one of the most prominent rulers of the ancient world. “Pericles, c. 495-429 BCE, was the political leader of Athens from about 460 to 429, a time when Athenian culture and military power were at their peak” (Fornara OL). Like Barack Obama of today and Martin Luther King Jr. of the past, Pericles left his mark on the world. From building the Parthenon to using his extravagant brains and abilities to hook the Athenians on his plans, Pericles was the revolutionary leader of ancient times.