Themistocles

Mahaa Ayub Introduction: The Persian Wars had just ended, and Athens had surprisingly come out on top. After the alliance between Athens and Sparta broke, Athens decided to create a new alliance, known as the Delian League, which helped the city’s wealth and empire during this time. The Golden Age of Athens is referring to the period where art and skills in the city were at their peak. Now at peace, Athens cultivated its city into its peak of cultural achievements. Pericles created an Athenian government that flourished. Athens achieved success in the arts such as physical art and in dramas. Athens reached new heights in intellectual achievement that proved it was the city’s Golden Age. Paragraph Outline #1 government TS: The success of Athens during this Golden Age can be attributed to its powerful government, which held its peak after the Persian Wars. Evidence 1: In Document C, Pericles states how, in Athenian Democracy, everyone is equal underneath the law and cannot be judged on membership of a class. This is important because it is similar to the idea of democracy today. If the idea that people were not equal under the law was not effective back then, the modern era would not have it in their governments. Evidence 2: Athens had naval supremacy that led to their wealth in trade. After the Persian Wars, Athens had the most powerful navy in the Mediterranean Area, which basically meant controlling half the world because the seas were the key to success during…

Themistocles was born in Athens in 524 BCE. He was the son of Neocles a middle class Athenian and a non-Athenian concubine mother. He was a citizen of Cleisthenes which in 508 BCE which made all Athenians free men. This contributed to his democratic tendencies. Themistocles lived in Athens for his entire life but often traveled because he was part of the Athenian military. Themistocles most important achievements began when he was elected Archon Eponymous, the chief judicial and civilian…

War, Themistocles of the Greeks and Xerxes of the Persians, in very different ways. Herodotus often points to how both men handle council and their own piety as a tool to depict what kind of men they are, and at times reinforces his own generalizations of the Greek and Persian people using these men as his proxy. Herodotus seems to accept the idea that men, as individuals, can shape great events, along with the gods. He lends this idea great weight through his explanation of both Xerxes’ and…

Just like Plutarch, Herodotus treated Themistocles ambivalently in his writing. He stated many times Themistocles was a greedy man. However, Herodotus also praised Themistocles’ success as an Athenian commander during the Persian Wars. This is comparable to how Plutarch treated Themistocles; except while Plutarch critiqued Themistocles on his ambition, Herodotus critiqued him on his greed. Herodotus included anecdotes that explained how Themistocles was greedy. In book eight of his Histories,…

Themistocles was arguable one of the most significant political and military figures of Athens during the fifth century. He is often remembered for his emphasis on naval power and for his influence on the success of the Greeks during the Persian wars. However, more can be learned from studying Themistocles than war strategy and political conduct. In his work, Themistocles, Plutarch examines the role ambition plays throughout Themistocles’ life. His evaluation serves to highlight the boundaries…

In stories, such as The Iliad by Homer and The Life of Themistocles by Plutarch, two Greek characters were highly recognized as crucial to the Greek victories. In the Iliad, the character Odysseus took a great role in the victories that led to winning the long 10 years Trojan War. In the Life of Themistocles, Plutarch describes how Themistocles also played a large role in the Greek victory in defeating the Persians. These two leaders, in comparison, were both men of intellect. They often used…

One man who can speak of history in a way that all Historians can admire is Barry Strauss. The battle of Salamis played a significant role on the rest of Greek and Persian history and Strauss introduces us to this battle in his own unique way. Instead of a boring text book we are graced with a work of art that time after time thrusts us into battle along side the ancient Greeks and Persians who fought so many year ago. Through his writing we are further introduced to characters such as…

showed the rest of Greece that victory against the much larger Achaemenid empire was far from impossible. The victory at Marathon can be largely attributed to Miltiades and the significant impact the battle had altered the course of the war leading to Greek victory. Themistocles is credited with founding Athens’ ascent to power and influence through his naval policy. According to Herodotus Themistocles believed that Athens’ future lay on the sea as a trading power. For this purpose he…

argument. First off, Socrates argued that worthy people who are virtuous must want the people closest to them such as their children to be virtuous as well. Referring back to the example of Themistocles, who is a successful general in Athens. If Themistocles is truly a virtuous man, he should be concerned of his own best state of soul at all times, as mentioned in the Euthyphro. In addition, it is made clear by Socrates in the Euthyphro that every man’s priority should be his own soul. Imagine,…

Cleisthenes influence is profound. It was the first time in history that the common people overthrew a government for form a new one, which is known as the Athenian Revolution. Cleisthenes was a forefather of democracy. He helped the Athenians develop a system of government in which all had a say, not only the aristocratic few. Because of the new government founded, an individual such as Themistocles was able to have a powerful say in the Athenian government. Themistocles was not an…