THEMISTOCLES: BIOGRAPHY, BATTLES AND WARS, ATTRIBUTED PHRASES - ARTE - 2025

Themistocles (c. 524 BC - 459 BC) was an Athenian politician, military man, statesman, and strategist. He belonged to the camp of the populists during the rise of democracy in Athens, of which he was one of the most prominent leaders.

From 493 a. C., Temístocles evolved like archon, that is to say, one of the high members of the democratic government in the polis. Thanks to his vision, Athens rose as one of the most important naval powers in the ancient world.

Pericles, by British Library, via Wikimedia Commons

He managed to assemble a fleet of approximately 200 triremes in better condition than many of the enemy ships. He has been considered one of the Athenian heroes during the medical wars that were fought against the Persians.

In the first opportunity he appeared as one of the 10 strategos, then in the second he was one of those responsible for the victories obtained and his participation in Artemisio and Salamina stood out, which were decisive.

Although it was he who led his city to power within the Hellenic world, Themistocles ceased to be the man of the moment and it was this debacle in his popularity that led him into exile from Athens around 472 BC. C.

His sentence was later changed to a death sentence, as he was said to have intervened on behalf of Persia in the second medical war.

Themistocles fled and in the Archaemenid Empire he was appointed governor of a region in Asia Minor, where he died later in 459 BC. C.

Early years

Themistocles was born approximately in 524 BC. C., in the Athenian demo of Frearri. He was the son of Neocles, a descendant of the Lycomedas family, but has come down.

His mother was a foreigner, whose identity is poorly documented by contemporary sources. It is thought that it could have been Abrotonon, a woman from Thrace, or Euterpe, a native of Halicarnassus.

Whatever her identity, it is known that she was a concubine and that she came from foreign lands. Furthermore, it has been said that Themistocles' father was middle class.

Themistocles' audacity and leadership can be traced back to his childhood, when it is said that he convinced young people who belonged to important families in Athens to play and exercise with him in the area where he lived, which did not have a good fame.

Training

Themistocles obtained citizenship after a decree that was promoted by Cleistenes in 508. Thanks to this action, all the free men of Athens were able to obtain full rights as citizens.

The boy was not a particularly outstanding student, qualities that were fundamental to being appreciated by contemporary Athenian society. Instead, the young man was regularly viewed as uneducated and arrogant.

However, something that he was interested in learning from a tender age was speaking and writing speeches, activities that he practiced regularly. Likewise, it is thought that from his youth he felt inclination for State matters.

Family

Themistocles had several marriages from which he had 10 children, 5 boys and 5 girls. Of the men one of the oldest, named Neocles, died early.

Another named Diocles was adopted by his grandfather Lisandro de Alopecia, father of one of Themistocles' wives named Archippe. His other sons were named Arqueptolio, Polieucto and Cleofanto.

Arqueptolio married his half sister, also the daughter of Themistocles, called Mnesiptolema.

The other daughters of the Athenian were called Sibaris, she married Nicomedes the Athenian, then there was Italy, who married Panthoides.

Also Themistocles was the father of Nicomaca, who married his cousin named Frasicles. The marriage took charge of the youngest of Themistocles' daughters, whose name was Asia.

Race

Themistocles was elected eponymous archon in 493 BC. At the time, this was the position of greatest prestige, relevance and responsibility within the city.

This Athenian began to be part of the written records from that point on. Themistocles left a profound impact on history that transcended his life.

From the beginning he longed for an Athens whose main force was to be found at sea. He promoted public works from his position as archon: he was in charge of converting unprotected beaches into safe ports.

Democracy, although recent in Athens, allowed Themistocles that a valuable statesman could come from any cradle. Taking advantage of his good fortune with the common people, he moved to a popular part of the city.

That was the basis of his political support, the people, for whom he always advocated, but was wise enough not to neglect the nobles, whom he also tried to keep at ease.

Themistocles was the first to start his career as a public servant practicing the profession of lawyer.

At this time ostracism began to be applied after the trial of Miltíades and the death of that figure was one of the gaps that Themistocles filled for being the new face of the popular side.

Internal rivalries

Themistocles' main opponent in the Athenian political arena was Aristides, who presented himself as the antithesis of his Democratic counterpart and was nicknamed "the Just One" by his supporters.

Xerxes I was preparing to invade Greece, so that he would take the witness of what was undertaken by his father, Darius the Great, in the first medical war. That is why Themistocles continued to advocate making Athens a maritime power.

The interest of the Persians although it had been quenched for a short time was still latent.

On the other hand, Aristides, who was a supporter of the great aristocratic families that controlled the cavalry and made up a large part of the hoplite corps, preferred to favor them.

On the other hand, in the fleet, most of its components came from middle or lower class families.

The Persian ships had a great reputation, so Themistocles thought that there could be the true definition of the confrontation if it were to occur.

The fleet grows

In 483 a. C., large reserves of silver were found in Laurium, although Aristides had proposed that the extra income be distributed among the Athenian citizens.

Themistocles said it would be better to invest it in creating a new fleet and although he proposed 200 triremes, he only got 100.

He did not want to mention the Persians in his speech, because for the Athenians this threat had already ended, but he told them that they should conclude their confrontation with Aegina and the most efficient method would be to increase their naval power.

The quarrel between Themistocles and Aristides ended with the choice of one of them to be ostracized, the one selected was the second.

Then, Athens ratified all the democratic and popular policies of Themistocles, who became the undisputed protagonist of the public affairs of the polis and one of the greatest leaders of Greece in his time.

Battles and wars

Although he participated in the first medical war as one of the strategos, he did not have a role of the magnitude that in the second part of those confrontations.

In August 480 a. C., Xerxes I met in Thermopylae with the Greek men, commanded by Leonidas and his Spartans, who managed to stop him for 3 whole days.

Meanwhile the rest of the defenses maneuvered and prepared the strategy to face the Persian.

In parallel, the Greek fleet that was under the command of Themistocles was presented to battle in Artemisio, on that occasion the Athenian strategist gave the order that the city be abandoned.

The Greek fleet met at Salamis and managed to get about 300 ships in total. At that time the Persians numbered about 500 ships, according to modern accounts.

Internal conflicts led to cross messages from the Greeks. The Persians blocked the straits at Corinthians, thus locking up the Greeks.

Thanks to the mobility of the Greek fleet and their location in friendly territory they did not suffer as much as the Persians.

Since that victory, Themistocles was recognized as a hero by all the peoples of Greece, including the Spartans, who were his most staunch detractors within the region.

Xerxes I returned to Persia after the defeat, but left Mardonio in charge of his troops, who was defeated at Plataea by the Greek land army commanded by Jantipo and Aristides, who had returned from exile.

After victory

After having ensured an end to the Persian danger, Themistocles set about rapidly fortifying Athens, which had been razed during the Archaemenid occupation. These projects began in the fall of 479 BC. C.

It was thanks to the audacity of Themistocles that the Athenians were able to re-erect their walls, since Sparta protested.

Also in 478 a. The League of Delos was constituted, in which the powers of the Aegean were united together with Ionia in an alliance commanded by Athens.

With the purpose of elevating the city in an economic aspect, Themistocles proposed to create tax exemptions for merchants and artisans who decided to establish their base in Athens.

He also instituted the creation of 20 annual triremes to preserve naval power.

Fall and exile

Themistocles had made enemies who considered him arrogant. Others were upset to see that someone of low origin had risen to the heights of power in Greece at the time.

The Spartans preferred to support the rise of Cimon, whom they believed to be less damaging in their interests. Between 472 and 471 a. C., Themístocles was ostracized, but not for having done something wrong, but to calm the Athenian political scene.

The politician and strategist went to Argos. At that time the Spartans took the opportunity to spread intrigues against the popular leader of Athens, who was accused of many charges, including complicity in the treason perpetrated by Pausanias.

It was stressed that the judgment should be performed by all Hellenes, not just Athenians. Themistocles did not respond to the call that was made to him for the trial that was held in Athens and that was interpreted as a confession by the accusers.

His properties were confiscated and he had no choice but to flee: from Molosia he went to Pidna and from there to Asia Minor, although it is not known exactly what his journey was, since the sources of the time show different itineraries of his trip.

Death

Themistocles died in Magnesia in 459 BC. According to official data, his death was due to natural causes, but others suggested that he had been induced to commit suicide after not fulfilling promises made to the Persian emperor.

Some time before his death the Athenian had been appointed governor by Artaxerxes I, the son of Xerxes, who was his enemy in battle. When he reached his domain, he presented himself before the new emperor and offered his services.

No other Greek, it was said, obtained as much consideration in any Persian court as was accorded Themistocles, who even obtained a post as governor in Magnesia.

Phrases attributed

- “I prefer a nice man than a wealthy man. A man without money is preferable to money without a man ”.

Quoted by P. Archer.

- "I never learned to tune a harp or play the lyre, but I know how to raise a small and insignificant city to glory."

Originally quoted by Plutarch.

- "He who controls the sea controls everything."

Originally quoted by Cicero.

- "Hit, but listen."

Originally quoted by Plutarch.

- "May I never sit in a court where my friends cannot find more favor from me than from a stranger."

Originally quoted by Plutarch.

- "You are the most powerful man among all the Hellenes, because Athens governs the rest of Greece, I govern the Athenians, your mother governs me and you govern your mother."

This phrase was supposedly said by Themistocles to one of his sons.

- "I carry with me two gods, Persuasion and Obligation."

Originally quoted by Herodotus.

- “Thoughts are like rolled tapestries. The conversation unfolds them and brings them to light ”.

References

1. Cartwright, M. (2019). Themistocles. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Available at: ancient.eu.
2. En.wikiquote.org. (2019). Themistocles - Wikiquote. Available at: en.wikiquote.org.
3. En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Themistocles. Available at: en.wikipedia.org.
4. Kuiper, K. and Burn, A. (2019). Themistocles - Biography & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. Available at: britannica.com.
5. Lendering, J. (2019). Themistocles - Livius. Livius.org. Available at: livius.org.