Statesman (540 BC – 468 BC)
The most honourable man of Athens according to Herodotus was Aristides of Lysimachus. He was nicknamed “the Just” and was one of the most renowned statesmen and strategists of ancient Athens. He was the founder of the Delian League, which constituted an important part of the Athenian county, was a participant of the Solonian political reform and one of the major commanders of the Battle of Marathon.
Originally a rival of Themistocles, he was ostracized for opposing Themistocles’ plan of building a fleet to confront the Persians in Salamis. Nevertheless, he returned in time and fought bravely in the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC and reclaimed the island Psytallia, ultimately reconciling with Themistocles. One year later, he led the Athenians to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Plateae. After the events of Plateae, Aristides led 30 Athenian ships in the Greek fleet, led by Pausanias, to free the lands of Byzantium and the island of Cyprus from Persian rule. The Delian League’s leadership was entrusted to Aristides, who had proven himself as a skilled and just statesman. He established the fund of the League in Delos, which Pericles later moved to Athens.
Aristides was not a democrat. His political beliefs placed him on the side of the Spartans. He admired mostly Lycurgus, the founder of the Spartan political system. Combined with his immense fame and glory, Aristides was a target of hatred and by the Athenians, especially the politicians, who were very jealous of him. Nonetheless, Aristides did not care what other people believed about him, as long as he did the right thing. He was characterized by a strong sense of justice, morality, prudence and philopatry.
According to tradition, when the Athenians were voting on Aristides’ exile, an illiterate peasant approached Aristides and asked him to write Aristides’ name on the ostracon. Aristides, without revealing his identity asked the peasant the reason why he was voting in favour of his exile. The peasant replied “I don’t even know him, but I am tired of constantly hearing that he is “just””. Without hesitating, Aristides carved his name in the ostracon and gave it to the peasant. In the end, he died in complete poverty with all of Greece’s treasures in his hands.
Bibliography
- “Aristides”. Helios New Encyclopaedic Dictionary. Passas, I. Athens, 1946. Print.
- Pleures, Konstantinos. The persecution of the best elements of society. Athens: Hilektron publications, 2013. Print.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. ”Aristides the Just” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Web. 15 November. 2016.