Themistocles, the great Athenian general and statesman, was born about 520 B.C. His father, Neocles, belonged to an undistinguished family of the middle class; his mother was a Carian. Ambitious from his cradle, he used his archonship of 493 for the promotion of his political plans. He saw what was best for Athens when he turned the attention of his countrymen to the sea and convinced them that a powerful fleet was absolutely necessary for their welfare. A large sum of money, the produce of the silver-mines of Laurium, which it was proposed to divide among the people, was devoted to its construction. During the war with Persia which followed Themistocles, commander of the Athenian squadron, which numbered 200 of the 324 vessels engaged, to avoid dissension was content to serve under the Spartan Eurybiadas, a man of narrow mind and hopeless obstinacy. On the eve of Salamis it required all the influence of Themistocles' vehement personality and threats to induce his timid superior and colleagues to await the attack of the enemy. In his eagerness to pre- cipitate a collision, he sent by night a messenger to urge the Persian generals to make an immediate attack, as the Greeks had resolved on retreat. He thus provided for himself, whatever the issue might be. Intimation of the Persian advance was brought at nightfall by his rival Aristides, who had been ostracised in 483 B.C. The Peloponnesians refused to continue the pursuit of the Persians beyond Andros. From that place Themistocles sent a second message to Xerxes urging him to hasten back before the Greeks carried out their project of breaking down the bridges. Though later Themistocles may have found it convenient to interpret this act differently, it was honestly sent at the time with the intention of inducing Xerxes to leave Attica. The victor of Salamis was now the foremost name in the minds and mouths of men. The rebuilding of the walls of Athens by his advice on a scale far larger than anything in existence aroused great uneasiness among the allies of Sparta, but, by a series of adroit stratagems, Themistocles succeeded in cajoling the ephors till the walls had reached a height sufficient for defence. But his popularity was now waning, and the Spartan faction in Athens was plotting his ruin. Plutarch tells us that he provoked the anger and resentment of the citizens by his insufferable arrogance. In 471 B.C. ostracism was demanded, and he was banished from Athens. Argos was his first retreat, but so long as he remained there Sparta could have no security or peace. His condemnation on the false charge of implication in the treason of Pausanias drove him from Argos. He fled to Coreyra, and after a series of hairbreadth escapes was compelled to seek shelter in Asia. Artaxerxes received his suppliant with the greatest favour, and listened with attention to his schemes for the subjugation of Greece. It is said that the young king was so affected with joy that he was heard at night to cry thrice in his dreams, 'Themistocles the Athenian is mine.' After the Persian fashion, the town of Lampsacus was appointed to supply him with wine, Magnesia with bread, and Myus with other provisions. At Magnesia he lived securely till about 453 B.C.
'In a word,' says Thucydides, 'Themistocles, by natural force of mind and with the least preparation, was of all men the best able to extemporise the right thing to be done.' Of his moral character the great historian says nothing. But if his patriotism seems at times to have been but a larger kind of selfishness, it must be remembered that Themistocles was possessed of the conviction that no one could realise the dream of a great Athenian empire but himself. The sentence passed upon him was a bitter return for the unparalleled services he had rendered his country, and, due as it was to Spartan influence and jealousy, proved all the harder for a man of spirit to bear.