View source for Themistocles

==Family==
Themistocles was born in the Attic [[deme]] of [[Phrearrhii]] around 524&nbsp;BC,<ref name="OC"/><ref name="GW176"/> the son of Neocles, a [[Leontis|Leontian]] also of Phrearrhii, who was, in the words of [[Plutarch]] "no very conspicuous man at Athens".<ref name="PT1">Plutarch, [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plut.+Them.+1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0066 Themistocles 1] (translated by [[Bernadotte Perrin]]).</ref> His mother is more obscure; her name was either [[Euterpe (disambiguation)|Euterpe]] or [[Abrotonum]], and her place of origin has been given variously as [[Halicarnassus]], Thrace, or [[Acarnania]].<ref>[[Plutarch]] [http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/themisto.html 1.1–1.2] narrates two accounts which describe her as either from [[Thrace]] or from [[Caria]]. However, [[Cornelius Nepos]] ([http://attalus.org/translate/nepos2.html 1.2]) describes her as an [[Acarnania]]n.</ref> Like many contemporaries, little is known of his early years. Some authors report that he was unruly as a child and was consequently disowned by his father.<ref name=CN>Cornelius Nepos, [https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/nepos.htm#Themistocles Themistocles].</ref><ref>Libanius, ''Declamations'' 9–10.</ref> Plutarch considers this to be false.<ref name="PT2">Plutarch, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plut.+Them.+1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0066 Themistocles 1].</ref> Plutarch indicates that, on account of his mother's background, Themistocles was considered something of an outsider; furthermore the family appear to have lived in an immigrant district of Athens, Cynosarges, outside the city walls.<ref name=PT1/> However, in an early example of his cunning, Themistocles persuaded "well-born" children to exercise with him in Cynosarges, thus breaking down the distinction between "alien and legitimate".<ref name=PT1/> Plutarch further reports that Themistocles was preoccupied, even as a child, with preparing for public life.<ref name=PT2/> His teacher is said to have told him: "My boy, you will be nothing insignificant, but definitely something great, either for good or evil."<ref name=PT2/>

Themistocles left three sons born of Archippe, the daughter of Lysander of [[Alopece]]: [[Archeptolis]], Polyeuctus, and Cleophantus. He also had two sons older than these three, Neocles and Diocles. Neocles died when he was young, bitten by a horse, and Diocles was adopted by his grandfather, Lysander.<ref name="PT32"/> [[Plato]]'s ''[[Meno]]'' mentions Cleophantus as a most excellent horseman, but no equal to his father in deeds or virtue.<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Plato]]|title=Meno|at=93c–93e|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0178%3Atext%3DMeno%3Apage%3D93}}</ref> Themistocles also had many daughters: Mnesiptolema, the product of his second marriage, married her step-brother Archeptolis<ref name="PT32"/> and became priestess of [[Cybele]];{{cn|date=October 2023}} Italia was married to Panthoides of [[Chios]];<ref name="PT32"/> and Sybaris to Nicomedes the Athenian.<ref name="PT32"/> After Themistocles died, his nephew Phrasicles went to [[Magnesia on the Maeander|Magnesia]] and married another daughter, Nicomache (with her brothers' consent). Phrasicles then took charge of her sister Asia, the youngest of all ten children.<ref name="PT32"/>