Themistocles biography of alberta
Themistocles ; Publication date: 2004 ; Topics: Themistocles, ca....
A History of Boeotia, The University of Alberta Press, 1978, p.Themistocles
Themistocles (c.525-459): Athenian military commander, statesman, and one of the main architects of the Athenian Empire.
Early Career
Themistocles was born in a village named Phrearrhioi as the son of a man named Neocles.
His mother was a non-Athenian from Thrace or Caria. According to Themistocles' biographer Plutarch of Chaeronea, the young man "was of a vehement and impetuous nature, of a quick apprehension, and a strong and aspiring bent for action and great affairs", but this is probably nothing but a retroprojection.
In Antiquity, it was widely believed that great statesmen already showed their qualities when they were still young.
This is an exciting new biography of Themistocles of Athens, architect of the Greek victory over the Persian invasions of 490 BC and 480 to 479 BC.
It is only when Themistocles obtained the office of archon in 493/492 BCE that he becomes "visible" for us. After his tenure of this office, he became member of the Areopagus, the influential council of former magistrates.
In those years, Athens was involved in two major foreign conflicts.
The most important seemed to be the