The Repulse of Persia and the Atheniait Empire l8l ostracized (Fig. ^Z^^ and at length, on false charges of treason, Fall of The- mistocles (472-471 B.C.) he was condemned and obliged to flee for his life. The greatest "^'^ °^ ^^ statesman in Athenian history spent the rest of his life in the service of the Persian king, and he never again saw the city he had saved from the Persians and made mistress of an empire. When a Persian fleet of some two hundred ships now came Cimon de- creeping westward along the southern coast of Asia Minor, peSan fleet Cimon not only destroyed the entire hostile fleet, but he also gdo'jfifjyer'^ landed and crushed the Persian land force which had fortified itself at this point (468 B.C.). Covered with glory, Cimon returned to Athens and urged the Fall of Cimon dispatch of troops to Sparta in response to a request from the Spartans for help in quelling a revolt among their own subjects. Herein Cimon overestimated the good feeling of the Spartans toward Athens ; for, in spite of the continuance of the revolt, the Spartans after a time curtly demanded the withdrawal of the very Athenian troops they had asked for. Stung by this rebuff, to which Cimon's friendly policy toward Sparta had exposed them, the Athenians voted to ostracize Cimon (461 B.C.). The name of Pericles, the statesman who succeeded Cimon Pericles and as the leader of Athens, is the most illustrious in her history, isdc'paiiy ^ He was a handsome and brilliant young Athenian, descended ^* Athens from one of the old noble families, of the line of Clisthenes, who two generations before had done so much for Athenian democracy (see p. 157). Like his great ancestor, he fearlessly championed the cause of the people, and he also accepted the " imperialistic program " of Athenian supremacy over the other Greek states. He desired to rear the splendid Athenian empire of which Themistocles had dreamed. He put himself at the head of the party of progress and of increased power of the people. Increasing prosperity had been creating an ever-growing body of wealthy men who rose from the lower classes. They hoped for wide expansion of Athenian power, for they felt the com- petition of the merchants of ^gina and of Corinth, the powerful commercial ally of Sparta.
