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ANGUS BOWIE

Queen’s College, Oxford

Aristeides, son of LYSIMACHUS, was one of the major Athenian politicians of the first three decades of the fifth century BCE. He was born probably c. 520 and was often contrasted, as the just and aristocratic man, with the allegedly scheming and democratic THEMISTOCLES. THUCYDIDES defends the latter (1.138.3–6), and there is also the witty remark of Callaeschrus, based on Aristeides’ DEME of ALOPECE (“Fox Deme”), that he was “a fox more by character than by deme.” PLUTARCH (Arist. 7.5–6) tells of the illiterate man who, not recognizing Aristeides, asked him to write “Aristeides” on a potsherd, and when asked why he wished to ostracize Aristeides said he was tired of hearing him called “the Just.” Herodotus agrees with the positive assessment, calling him “the best and most just man in ATHENS” (8.79.2).

He was a friend of the reformer CLEISTHENES SON OF MEGACLES, and said by some to have been one of the stratēgoi (generals) at the Battle of MARATHON in 490; he was probably eponymous archon in 489/8. Aristeides was ostracized in 483/2 ([Arist.] Ath. pol. 22.7), as a result either of his rivalry with Themistocles or of differences over how to respond to the Persian threat. More than 100 ostraca with his name have been found. On these he was called “brother of DATIS” (one of the Persian commanders at Marathon, which suggests he was seen as a medizer) and was accused of rejecting SUPPLIANTS. He was recalled under an amnesty and, forgiving his fellow‐citizens and putting aside his personal rivalry with Themistocles, came from AEGINA to SALAMIS in September 480 to bring the news that the Greek fleet was surrounded, thus confirming Themistocles’ expectations about his communication with XERXES (8.79–80). Aristeides encouraged Themistocles to see their rivalry not as a personal matter but as a contest to see who could better benefit the city. At the Battle of Salamis, according to Herodotus (8.95), Aristeides took HOPLITES from the shore of Salamis across to the small island of PSYTTALEIA, where they slaughtered the Persian troops. AESCHYLUS (Pers. 447–64), however, does not mention Aristeides and has the Persians on Psyttaleia killed by stones and arrows before a final assault. At the Battle of PLATAEA in 479, Aristeides held the left wing of the Greek line, with 8,000 troops (9.28.6). He subsequently helped Themistocles ensure the rebuilding of the Athenian WALLS, despite Spartan opposition. When the Spartan king PAUSANIAS commanded the Greek forces pursuing the war against PERSIA after 479, Aristeides is credited with influencing the ALLIES to prefer Athenian leadership over Spartan ([Arist.] Ath. pol. 23.4; Plut. Arist. 23). After the DELIAN LEAGUE was set up under Athenian leadership, he organized the TRIBUTE levels, with a fair assessment of contributions. He died around 467.

SEE ALSO: Democracy; Exile; Medize; Praise