Themistocles

Themistocles (c. -526-460 BC). Greek statesman and naval commander. He started the building of the Piraeus harbor and induced the Athenians to use the revenue from a silver mine to build a sizeable navy. Under his command, the Athenian navy, allied with the Spartans and Peloponnesians, defeated Persia under Xerxes I at the Battle of Salamis (480). However, he subsequently lost popularity and was banished from Athens by public vote in 471.