Pericles' Plan

The Athenians had to stay behind city walls whilst Spartans destroyed their fields and crops. But Pericles knew and convinced the Athenian people, that they could live off of shipments from others city-states. But one year later the cargo brought along plague. The plague spread like wildfire, given the entire population of Athens were behind city walls. Pericles fell ill to the plague, and he died in 429 BC.  All of those who resented Pericles now realized he was the protector of the state and public safety. Pericles' successors followed the passion of the masses to gain support, it also found a new potential to slide into mob rule.