Aristides

Aristides, surnamed 'THE JUST,' belonged to a good old Athenian family, and at the battle of Marathon (490 B.C.) was one of the ten leaders. Each of these was to hold the supreme command for one day; but Aristides, who saw the folly of the system, induced his companions to give up their claims, and make Miltiades commander-in-chief. Next year, Aristides was chief archon, and in this office, as in every other, secured the general respect of the citizens. About 483 the jealousy of his great rival Themistocles procured the banishment of Aristides. It is said that when an illiterate citizen, who did not know him personally, requested him to write his own name on the voting shell, he asked the man whether Aristides had injured him. 'No,' said the voter; 'but I am weary of hearing him always styled "the Just."' Aristides submitted to the sentence with dignity, praying the gods, as he left the city, that the Athenians might not have cause to repent of their decision. Only three years later came Xerxes' overwhelming invasion. On the eve of the battle of Salamis, Aristides, hearing that the Greek fleet was hemmed in by that of the Persians, made his way from Ægina to offer his aid to Themistocles. He did good service in that great sea-fight; and, as Athenian general, he divided with Pausanias the glory of Platæa (479). In 477 B.C. he introduced a sweeping change into the constitution, by which all citizens, without distinction of rank, were admitted to the archonship. Through him, too, about the same time, Athens, not Sparta, became the ruling state of a maritime confederacy. He was an old man when he died (468), and so poor that he had to be buried at the public cost.