Cimon (510, Athens – 450 BCE, Citium, Cyprus), is an Athenian politcian, strategos, and major political figure in mid-5th century BC Greece, the son of Miltiades, victor of Marathon.

Cimon plays a key role in creating the powerful Athenian maritime empire following the failure of the Persian invasion of Greece by Xerxes I in 480-479 BC.

Cimon becomes a celebrated military hero and is elevated to the rank of admiral after fighting in the Battle of Salamis.

One of Cimon’s greatest exploits is his destruction of a Persian fleet and army at the Battle of the Eurymedon in 466 BCE.

In 462 BCE, he leads an unsuccessful expedition to support the Spartans during the helot uprisings.

As a result, he is dismissed and ostracized from Athens in 461 BC; however, he is recalled from his exile before the end of his ten-year ostracism to broker a five-year peace treaty in 451 BCE between Sparta and Athens.

Cimon also leads the Athenian aristocratic party against Pericles and opposs the democratic revolution of Ephialtes seeking to retain aristocratic party control over Athenian institutions.