Cimon

Family: Athens · Role: general · First appears: Theseus

Cimon was the son of Miltiades and Hegesipyle, and was left a young orphan with his sister Elpinice after Miltiades died in prison. When Callias offered to pay their father’s unpaid fine in return for Elpinice’s hand, Cimon betrothed her to him. Aristides recognized Cimon’s ability and helped advance him, while Cimon was also devoted to his lawful wife Isodice.

After the Medes were driven from Greece, Cimon and Aristides took command from Pausanias when the allies revolted against his harshness. Cimon captured Scyros and recovered the remains of Theseus for Athens, then won victories over Persia that led the Persian king to make peace through Callias’s embassy. He opposed Themistocles and Ephialtes alongside Aristides, while Pericles joined the popular party against him and put forward his near kinsman Thucydides in opposition.

Cimon was ostracized as a supporter of the Lacedaemonians, and Pericles was associated with the ostracism of both Cimon and Thucydides. After Athens suffered defeat at Tanagra, the citizens recalled him, but he later died during the campaign in Cyprus, either from sickness while besieging Citium or from a wound received in battle. At the height of his success, he had established peace with the enemy, authority over the confederates, and concord with Lacedaemon.