THEMISTOCLES (c. 514-449 B•C•), Athenian soldier and statesman in some respects probably the ablest and most far sighted whom Greece produced in the first half of the 5th century. He was the son of Neocles, an Athenian of no distinction and moderate means, his mother being a Carian or a Thracian. Hence according to the Periclean law E clµcPoi,v he would not have been a free Athenian at all (see PERICLES). Thucydides observes that, though he lacked the culture typical of the Periclean age, he displayed a marvellous power of analysing a complex situation together with a genius for rapid action. Plutarch similarly enlarges on his consuming ambition for power both per sonal and national, and the unscrupulous ability with which he pursued his ends. Of his early years little is known. He may have been strategus of his tribe at Marathon.
At all events the death of Miltiades left the stage to Aristeides and Themistocles. It is sufficiently clear that their rivalry turned largely on the fact that Themistocles was the advocate of a policy of naval expansion. This policy was unquestionably of the highest importance to Athens and indeed to Greece. Athens was faced by the equal if not superior power of Aegina, while the danger of a renewed Persian invasion loomed large. Themistocles per suaded his countrymen to put in hand the building of zoo triremes, and to fortify the three natural harbours of Peiraeeus (see E. Gardner, Ancient Athens, 562 f.) in place of the open roadstead of Phalerum. For the building of the ships Themistocles persuaded the Athenians to allocate I oo talents obtained from the new silver mines at Laureium (Ath. Pol. 22) which were about to be dis tributed to the citizens (1 o drachmae each). One hundred of the proposed 200 were built.
• He may or may not have been archon in 483, according to the Ath. Pol., when this programme began. Dionysius of Halicar nassus places his archonship in 493-92, in favour of which are several considerations. In 487 the office lost much of its impor tance owing to the substitution of the lot for the election ; the chance that the lot would at the particular crisis of 483 fall on Themistocles was obviously remote. In any case, the chief men of the other side disappear one by one—culminating in the ostra cism of Aristeides in 482, and the year prior to the invasion of Xerxes found Themistocles the chief man in Athens if not in Greece. Though the Greek fleet was nominally under the con trol of the Spartan Eurybiades, it was Themistocles who forced the indecisive battle of Artemisium, and by his threat that he would lead the Athenian army to found a new home in the West, and by his treacherous message to Xerxes, precipitated the en gagement at Salamis (see P. W. Dodd in Class. Rev. 27, p. 117).
The retirement of the Persians left the Athenians free to restore their ruined city (see ATHENS). Sparta opposed the rebuilding of the walls, but Themistocles by a subterfuge got the walls built high enough to be defensible. He also carried out his original plan of making Peiraeeus a harbour and fortress for Athens. Athens thus became the finest trade centre in Greece, and this fact, coupled with Themistocles' remission of the alien's tax ( barobuov) induced many foreign business men to settle in Athens.
After the crisis of the Persian invasion Themistocles and Aris teides appear to have composed their differences. But Themis tocles soon began to lose the confidence of the people, partly owing to his boastfulness (it is said that he built near his own house a sanctuary to Artemis Aristoboule "of good counsel") and partly to his alleged readiness to take bribes. Diodorus (xi. 54) and Plutarch (Theorist. 23) both refer to some accusation levelled against him. There is, however, much difficulty regarding this accusation ; it may be simply a misunderstanding of his ostracism. Some time between 476 and 471 he was ostracized. He took refuge eventually in Asia Minor, and was proclaimed a traitor in Athens. He was well received by the Persians and was allowed to settle in Magnesia on the Maeander. He died at Magnesia at the age of 65, and a splendid memorial was raised by the people of the town, though it is said that his bones were secretly trans ferred to Attica. He was worshipped by the Magnesians as a god, as we find from a coin on which he is shown with a patera in his hand and a slain bull at his feet (hence perhaps the legend that he died from drinking bull's blood : cf. Aristoph. eq. 83; Diod. xi. 58; Plut. Them. 31).
Though his end was discreditable, though his great wealth can hardly have been obtained by loyal public service, there is no doubt that his services to Athens and to Greece were great. He created the Athenian fleet and with it the possibility of the Delian League (q.v.) which became the Athenian empire, and there are many indications (e.g., his well-attested plan of expansion in the west) that the later imperialist 'deal originated in his fertile brain.