Themistocles

Lore & Background

Themistocles was born around 524 BC in the Attic deme of Phrearrhii, son of Neocles. His mother's name was either Euterpe or Abrotonum, and her origin is given variously as Halicarnassus, Thrace, or Acarnania. Some authors report he was unruly as a child and disowned by his father, but Plutarch considers this false. Plutarch indicates that because of his mother's background, Themistocles was considered an outsider, and the family lived in the immigrant district of Cynosarges. He persuaded well-born children to exercise with him there, breaking down the distinction between alien and legitimate. His teacher reportedly told him: 'My boy, you will be nothing insignificant, but definitely something great, either for good or evil.'

Elected archon in 493 BC, Themistocles convinced Athens to increase its naval power, a recurring theme in his career. He fought at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and may have been one of the ten Athenian strategoi there. In 483 BC he persuaded the Athenians to build a fleet of 200 triremes, which proved crucial in the second Persian invasion. He commanded the Athenian navy at Artemisium and Salamis in 480 BC; his subterfuge lured the Persian fleet into the Straits of Salamis, leading to a decisive Greek victory. The invasion was repulsed the following year after the land battle of Plataea.

After the conflict, Themistocles ordered the re-fortification of Athens, arousing Spartan hostility. His perceived arrogance alienated him from the Athenians, and he was ostracized in 472 or 471 BC, going into exile in Argos. The Spartans implicated him in the treasonous plot of their general Pausanias, and Themistocles fled. Alexander I of Macedon gave him temporary sanctuary at Pydna before he traveled to Asia Minor, where he entered the service of the Persian king Artaxerxes I. He was made governor of Magnesia and lived there until his death in 459 BC, probably of natural causes.

Reader's Guide

Themistocles's significance lies in his role as the architect of Athenian naval power, which proved decisive in the Persian Wars. His policies transformed Athens into a maritime power that became the cornerstone of the Athenian Empire and golden age. Plutarch describes him as 'the man most instrumental in achieving the salvation of Greece' from the Persian threat. Thucydides assessed him as 'a man who exhibited the most indubitable signs of genius; indeed, in this particular he has a claim on our admiration quite extraordinary and unparalleled.' After his death, his reputation was posthumously rehabilitated, and he was re-established as a hero of the Athenian and Greek cause. His legacy includes the strategic use of naval forces and the fortification of Piraeus, which shaped Athenian power for decades.

Did You Know?

• Themistocles was elected archon in 493 BC and convinced Athens to build a new port at Piraeus.
• He persuaded the Athenians to build a fleet of 200 triremes in 483 BC, which were crucial at Salamis.
• He was ostracized in 472 or 471 BC and later entered the service of the Persian king Artaxerxes I.
• His mother's name and origin are uncertain; she was either Euterpe or Abrotonum, from Halicarnassus, Thrace, or Acarnania.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"I never learned how to tune a harp, or play upon a lute; but I know how to raise a small and inconsiderable city to glory and greatness." — Themistocles "Variant translation: 'Tis true, I never learned how to tune a harp, or play upon a lute, but I know how to raise a small and inconsiderate city to glory and greatness." — Themistocles "May I never sit on a tribunal where my friends shall not find more favor from me than strangers." — Themistocles "For the Athenians command the rest of Greece, I command the Athenians; your mother commands me, and you command your mother." — Themistocles