---
title: Cimon
author: Mark Cartwright
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---
# Cimon
_Authored by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/)_
Cimon (c. 510 – 450 BCE) was an Athenian statesman and, as *strategos*, frequent commander of the Athenian fleet when the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) was at the height of its power. He won military glory by defeating Spartan rival [Pausanias](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Pausanias/) and then the Persians in both a land and sea [battle](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/battle/) to expand the membership and power of the [Delian League](https://www.worldhistory.org/Delian_League/) which he led for over a decade. Not helped by his political rival [Pericles](https://www.worldhistory.org/pericles/), Cimon was later exiled from [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) and never recovered his former political position but he had already done enough to establish a lasting reputation as one of Athens' greatest generals. He is the subject of one of [Plutarch](https://www.worldhistory.org/plutarch/)'s *Lives* biographies.
### Early Life
Born around 510 BCE Cimon (also spelt Kimon) was the son of the general and statesman [Miltiades](https://www.worldhistory.org/Miltiades/) who had famously defeated the Persians at the Battle of [Marathon](https://www.worldhistory.org/marathon/) in 490 BCE. His mother Hegesipyle, as the daughter of Olorus, king of Thrace, was also well-to-do. Cimon's sister was Elpinice and there were accusations, now supported by some archaeological evidence, of incest between the two, even if she was married to Callias, the prominent politician. Cimon married Isodice of the Athenian aristocratic Alcmaeonid family so that with powerful family connections he was set to rise to the very top of Athens' political pile.
### Military Achievements
Cimon fought at the [Battle of Salamis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Battle_of_Salamis/) in 480 BCE but first comes to political prominence in 479 BCE when he was part of a delegation sent to [Sparta](https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/). In the following years he was influential in persuading [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) naval powers to join the Delian League, and between 476 and 463 BCE he was frequently made *strategos* or commanding general of the Athenian fleet and the League as a whole. Amongst his notable victories, he drove the Dolopian pirates out of the [Aegean](https://www.worldhistory.org/aegean/) island of Scyros c. 475 BCE. In so doing he won glory by bringing back to Athens the fabled bones of Athens' legendary king [Theseus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Theseus/) and then made the island an Athenian dependency.
In another successful operation the Spartan general Pausanias was defeated and removed from [Byzantium](https://www.worldhistory.org/Byzantium/), also c. 475 BCE. Eion in Thrace was another capture for Athens in the same year. There the citizens were enslaved and Cimon set up three [Hermes](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hermes/) statues in Athens to commemorate the victory. Cimon's star shone even brighter c. 466 when he defeated the Persians at Eurymedon on the southern coast of [Asia Minor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Asia_Minor/), twice on the same day in fact, first in a naval engagement and then on land, both times against superior forces. Cimon is credited with improving the effectiveness of the Greek [trireme](https://www.worldhistory.org/trireme/) warship by broadening its decks and gangways to allow the transport of more hoplites. In another episode of inventiveness, the general had also had some of his men disguise themselves as Persians using captured clothing to raid an enemy camp. Victory permitted the annexing of more allies to further bolster the Delian League and Cimon's own reputation as one of Athens' greatest commanders.
Cimon also did much for the ordinary citizens of the city too. He rebuilt many public spaces, improved the southern walls of the [acropolis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Acropolis/), added a water supply to the Academy and trees to the [agora](https://www.worldhistory.org/agora/) and Academy [gymnasium](https://www.worldhistory.org/Gymnasium/), gave the needy handouts, and personally funded a programme to strengthen the Long Walls fortifications which connected Athens to her port, the [Piraeus](https://www.worldhistory.org/Piraeus/).
[  Delian League Marsyas (CC BY-SA) ](https://www.worldhistory.org/image/4571/delian-league/ "Delian League")Following victory over the Persians, some historians suggest that Cimon offered to broker a peace deal with Athens' long-time regional rival but that opposing factions in Athens blocked it. The [Peace of Callias](https://www.worldhistory.org/Peace_of_Callias/), c. 450 BCE (proposed by Cimon's brother-in-[law](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/law/)), may have been a re-working or even extension of Cimon's original plan. Cimon might have been finished with his old family enemy [Persia](https://www.worldhistory.org/Persia/) but he was not done with military expansion and conquered Chersonesus in Thrace and the north-Aegean island of Thasos (along with her [gold](https://www.worldhistory.org/gold/) mines) between 465 and 463 BCE. According to Plutarch the proposal for members of the expanding Delian League, fast becoming the Athenian [empire](https://www.worldhistory.org/empire/), to pay Athens money instead of ships and men was Cimon's.
### Rivalry with Pericles & Exile
Cimon's political career then took a blow in 463 BCE when Pericles formally charged him with corruption. Specifically, he was accused of taking bribes from [Alexander](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Alexander/) I King of [Macedon](https://www.worldhistory.org/macedon/) so as not to invade. Acquitted, Cimon was then sent to aid Sparta deal with their helot revolt. The Spartans sent the commander's [hoplite](https://www.worldhistory.org/hoplite/) army back home, though, afraid of their intentions. As a consequence, in 461 BCE, Cimon, who was always thought to have held Spartan sympathies, suffered a vote of [ostracism](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ostracism/) and was exiled from Athens for 10 years. The commander's reputation for lavish parties and expensive public works had not been helpful in turning public opinion either.
In 457 BCE Cimon did offer his services at Tanagra against a joint force of Sparta and Boeotians but was refused; Athens lost the battle. When he had served his 10-year sentence, Cimon did finally return to his home city and he brokered a peace with Sparta. Then, still fighting Persians until the end, he died either in battle or from disease on [Cyprus](https://www.worldhistory.org/cyprus/) in 450 BCE. As Plutarch summarized, "He was as brave as Miltiades and as intelligent as [Themistocles](https://www.worldhistory.org/Themistocles/), and he is generally admitted to have been a juster man than either (*Cimon*, 146)."
#### Editorial Review
This human-authored definition has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).
## About the Author
Mark is WHE’s Publishing Director and has an MA in Political Philosophy (University of York). He is a full-time researcher, writer, historian and editor. Special interests include art, architecture and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share.
## Timeline
- **c. 510 BCE - 450 BCE**: Life of Athenian statesman and general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/).
- **480 BCE**: Future Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) fights in the [battle of Salamis](https://www.worldhistory.org/Battle_of_Salamis/)
- **479 BCE**: Future Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) is sent on a diplomatic mission to [Sparta](https://www.worldhistory.org/sparta/).
- **476 BCE - 463 BCE**: [Delian League](https://www.worldhistory.org/Delian_League/) operations are led by Athenian commander [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/)
- **c. 475 BCE**: Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) drives the Dolopian pirates out of the [Aegean](https://www.worldhistory.org/aegean/) island of Scyros.
- **c. 475 BCE**: Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) defeats Spartan general [Pausanias](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Pausanias/) and takes [Byzantium](https://www.worldhistory.org/Byzantium/).
- **475 BCE**: [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) captures Eion in Thrace for [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/).
- **c. 466 BCE**: Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) twice defeats the Persians at Eurymedon on the southern coast of [Asia Minor](https://www.worldhistory.org/Asia_Minor/).
- **465 BCE - 463 BCE**: Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) conquers Chersonesus in Thrace and the north-[Aegean](https://www.worldhistory.org/aegean/) island of Thasos.
- **463 BCE**: [Pericles](https://www.worldhistory.org/pericles/) leads a prosecution of [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) on charges of corruption but he is acquitted.
- **461 BCE**: [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) is voted in an [ostracism](https://www.worldhistory.org/Ostracism/) in [Athens](https://www.worldhistory.org/Athens/) and exiled from the [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/).
- **450 BCE**: Athenian general [Cimon](https://www.worldhistory.org/cimon/) dies on [Cyprus](https://www.worldhistory.org/cyprus/) fighting the Persians.
## External Links
- [What did democracy really mean in Athens? - Melissa Schwartzberg](http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-did-democracy-really-mean-in-athens-melissa-schwartzberg)
## Cite This Work
### APA
Cartwright, M. (2016, April 10). Cimon. *World History Encyclopedia*.
### Chicago
Cartwright, Mark. "Cimon." *World History Encyclopedia*, April 10, 2016. .
### MLA
Cartwright, Mark. "Cimon." *World History Encyclopedia*, 10 Apr 2016, .
## License & Copyright
Submitted by [Mark Cartwright](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/markzcartwright/ "User Page: Mark Cartwright"), published on 10 April 2016. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.