Aristides | |
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| Native name | Ἀριστείδης |
| Born | 530 BC |
| Died | 468 BC (agedc. 62) |
| Allegiance | Athens |
| Years of service | 490 – 479 BC |
| Battles / wars | |
Aristides (/ˌærɪˈstaɪdiːz/ARR-ih-STY-deez;Ancient Greek:Ἀριστείδης,romanized: Aristeídēs,Attic Greek:[aristěːdɛːs]; 530–468 BC) was anancient Athenianstatesman. Nicknamed "the Just" (δίκαιος,díkaios), he flourished at the beginning of Athens'Classical period and is remembered for his generalship in thePersian War. The ancient historianHerodotus cited him as "the best and most honourable man in Athens",[1] and he received similarly reverent treatment inPlato's Socratic dialogues.
Aristides was a member of a family of moderate fortune; his father's name was Lysimachus. Early in life he became a follower of the statesmanCleisthenes. He probably first came to notice asstrategos in command of his native tribeAntiochis at theBattle of Marathon of 490 BC. In consequence of the distinction which he then achieved he is said to have won the election asarchon eponymos for the ensuing year (489–488).[2] Pursuing a conservative policy to maintain Athens as a land power, he was one of the chief opponents of the naval policy proposed byThemistocles.[3]
According toPlutarch, citing the philosopherAriston of Ceos, the rivalry between Aristides and Themistocles began in their youth when they competed over thelove of a boy: "... they were rivals for the affection of the beautiful Stesilaus of Ceos, and were passionate beyond all moderation."[4][5] The conflict between the two leaders ended in theostracism of Aristides at a date variously given between 485 and 482 BC. It is said that, on this occasion, an illiterate voter who did not recognise Aristides approached the statesman and requested that he write the name of Aristides on hisvoting shard to ostracize him. The latter asked if Aristides had wronged him. "No," was the reply, "and I do not even know him, but it irritates me to hear him everywhere called 'the Just'."[3] Aristides then wrote his own name on the ballot.[6]
Early in 480, Aristides profited by the decree recallingexiles to help in the defence of Athens against Persian invaders, and was electedstrategos for the year 480–479 BC. In theBattle of Salamis of September 480 BC, he gave loyal support to Themistocles, and crowned the victory by landing Athenian infantry on the island ofPsyttaleia and annihilating the Persian garrison stationed there.[3]
In 479 BC, he was re-electedstrategos, and given special powers as commander of the Athenian forces at theBattle of Plataea of August 479 BC; he is also said to have suppressed a conspiracy among some in the army. He so won the confidence of theIonian allies that, after they had revolted from theSpartan admiral Pausanias,[7]they gave him the chief command and left him with absolute discretion in fixing the contributions of the newly formed (478 BC) confederacy, theDelian League. His assessment, universally accepted as equitable, continued as the basis of taxation for the greater part of the League's duration. He continued to hold a predominant position in Athens. At first he seems to have remained on good terms with Themistocles, whom he allegedly helped in outwitting the Spartans over the rebuilding of the walls of Athens.[3]
Some authorities state that Aristides died at Athens, others that he perished on a journey to theBlack Sea; the date of his death is given byNepos as 468 BC. He lived to witness the ostracism of Themistocles, towards whom he always displayed generosity, but he died before the rise ofPericles. His estate seems to have suffered severely from the Persian invasions, for apparently he did not leave enough money to defray the expenses of his burial, and it is known that his descendants – even in the 4th century – received state pensions.[3]
Herodotus is not the only ancient author to evaluate Aristides' life. He is also the subject of one ofPlutarch'sParallel Lives (in which he is compared toCato the Elder), although Plutarch, writing during theRoman Empire, was several centuries removed. Aristides is praised bySocrates inPlato's dialoguesGorgias andMeno as an exceptional instance of good leadership.[8][9]
In Plato's dialogueTheaetetus, Socrates refers to Aristides, the grandson of the famous Aristides, less positively, bringing him as an example of a student who leaves his care too soon and realizes later that he is a fool.[10]
There is astatue of Aristides inLouisburg Square in the American city ofBoston. An 1806 painting of Aristides byCharles Brocas [fr] is at theMusée des Augustins in the French City ofToulouse.
One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Caspari, Maximilian Otto Bismarck (1911). "Aristides". InChisholm, Hugh (ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 494–495.Thucydides says that it was the Ionians as a group [...] who came to resent the violent [...] leadership of Pausanias and therefore requested that Athenians lead a new alliance that would better serve their interests, while [Aristotle] says that Aristides stoked the flames of frustration on the part of the Ionians after Pausanias' fall [...].
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