Latest / The History of Greece: Philosophy, Empire, and Endless Reinvention — Fexingo History
The Ostracism of Themistocles: How Athens Exiled Its Own Savior
In 472 BCE, Athens held a dramatic vote that would send one of its greatest leaders — the architect of the victory at Salamis — into exile. This episode explores the ostracism of Themistocles: the political machinery, the personal rivalries, and the irony of a democracy turning on its most effective champion. We trace Themistocles' rise from archon to general, his cunning during the Persian Wars, the construction of the Long Walls and the Piraeus fortifications, and his eventual ostracism in 472 or 471 BCE. We examine the role of ostracism as a democratic safeguard, the charges of medism…
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