19. Themistocles was another warrior who saved Ancient Athens, only to be rewarded with ingratitude
Miltiades was not the only warrior to save Ancient Athens, only to be rewarded with ingratitude. Another Athenian hero screwed over by his country was Themistocles (524 – 460 BC). He was a brilliant politician and admiral, whose strategy saved Athens and Greece from Persian subjugation with a victory at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC. Born to an aristocratic father and a non-Greek concubine, Themistocles was ineligible for Athenian citizenship, until democratic reforms made all free men in Athens citizens. As a result, Themistocles became a lifelong champion of democracy.
After Miltiades had secured victory for Athens over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC, most Athenians thought the danger had passed, but not Themistocles. In the 480s BC, Athens’ state-owned silver mines struck a rich vein, and many Athenians wanted to divide the windfall among the citizens. Themistocles, convinced that the Persians would return, called for investing the new riches on warships. That set the stage for a showdown between the champions of democracy and its opponents.
