Themistocles and Alcibiades: Athenian Generals Who Turned Traitors
The Persian Empire became the final refuge for Themistocles and Alcibiades, two prominent figures from ancient Athens who faced exile after being branded as traitors. Themistocles, who hailed from a lesser aristocratic lineage, rose to the position of archon in 493 BC and advocated for a fleet of 200 triremes, which played a pivotal role in the Greco-Persian Wars. His tactics were instrumental in the victory at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. After being ostracized in 471 BC, he sought refuge with Xerxes, later becoming Governor of Magnesia, where he died by poison in 459 BC. Alcibiades, born in 450 BC, made his mark at the Battle of Potidaea in 432 BC and was involved in the Sicilian Expedition in 415 BC, ultimately being assassinated in 404 BC by Lysander's agents.
Key facts
- Themistocles was elected archon in 493 BC.
- Themistocles built a fleet of 200 triremes using silver from the Laurion mines.
- Themistocles secured Greek victory at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC.
- Themistocles was ostracized in 471 BC and fled to Persia, becoming Governor of Magnesia.
- Themistocles died in 459 BC, possibly by poison.
- Alcibiades was born in 450 BC and was a ward of Pericles, tutored by Socrates.
- Alcibiades fought at Potidaea in 432 BC and was rescued by Socrates.
- Alcibiades proposed the Sicilian Expedition, which ended in disaster in 415 BC.
- Alcibiades defected to Sparta and advised fortifying Decelea.
- Alcibiades was assassinated in 404 BC by agents of Lysander.
Entities
Artists
- Themistocles
- Alcibiades
- Xerxes
- Artaxerxes I
- Pericles
- Socrates
- Cleinias
- Nicias
- Lamachus
- Agis II
- Lysander
- Pausanias
- Plutarch
- Plato
- Leonidas
- Sicinnus
Institutions
- Museo Ostiense
- Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen
- Neue Pinakothek München
- Museum of the Ancient Agora
- Russian Museum
- Musée des Beaux-Arts
- Wikimedia Commons
- University of Texas
Locations
- Athens
- Greece
- Persia
- Salamis
- Thermopylae
- Cape Artemisium
- Isthmus of Corinth
- Mt. Aegaleus
- Piraeus
- Magnesia
- Asia Minor
- Potidaea
- Pylos
- Argos
- Elis
- Mantinea
- Sicily
- Syracuse
- Decelea
- Mt. Parnes
- Laurion
- Notium
- Ostia
- Munich
- St. Petersburg
- La Rochelle
- France
- Austin
- Texas