Themistocles: The Rise and Fall of Athens's Naval Mastermind

This book traces the extraordinary career of Themistocles, the visionary Athenian politician and general who fought at Marathon, championed the naval expansion funded by Laurium silver mines, and led the fleet to victory at Salamis in 480 BC, securing Greece against Persian invasion.

Despite his triumphs, he faced exile, reinvented himself in Persia, and posthumously became a foundational figure in Athens's Golden Age, with his policies enabling the city's empire and cultural zenith.