Editing Cimon (section)

{{Short description|5th-century BC Athenian statesman and general}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox military person
| name          = Cimon
| image         = KimonSculpture.jpg
| caption       = Bust of Cimon in [[Larnaca]], [[Cyprus]]
| allegiance    = Athens
| rank          = [[Strategos]] ([[General officer|general]])
| birth_date    = {{circa|510&nbsp;BC}}
| death_date    = 450&nbsp;BC (aged {{circa|59–60}})
| birth_place   = [[Athens]]
| death_place   = [[Larnaca|Citium]], [[Cyprus]]
| father        = [[Miltiades]]<ref name="AthOn"/>
| mother        = Hegesipyle of Thrace<ref name="AthOn"/>
| children      = [[Lacedaemonius]]<br/>Oulius<br/>Thessalus<br/>Cimon<br/>Miltiades<br/>Peisianax<ref name="AthOn"/>
| battles       = [[Persian Wars]] and [[Wars of the Delian League]]:
*[[Battle of Salamis]]
*[[Battle of the Eurymedon]]
*[[Siege of Eion]]
*[[Thasos revolt]]
*[[Siege of Kition]]
}}
'''Cimon''' or '''Kimon'''{{Pronunciation needed}} ({{langx|grc|Κίμων Μιλτιάδου Λακιάδης|Kimōn Miltiadou Lakiadēs}}; {{circa|510}}{{nbsp}}– 450{{nbsp}}BC)<ref name="AthOn">{{cite web |last1=Byrne |first1=Sean G. |title=Κίμων of Lakiadai |url=https://athnames.org/r4.php?id=38298 |website=Athenian Onomasticon |access-date=1 February 2024}}</ref> was an [[Ancient Athens|Athenian]] ''[[strategos]]'' (general and admiral) and politician.

He was the son of [[Miltiades]], also an Athenian ''strategos''. Cimon rose to prominence for his bravery fighting in the naval [[Battle of Salamis]] (480&nbsp;BC), during the [[Second Persian invasion of Greece]]. Cimon was then elected as one of the ten ''strategoi'', to continue the [[Persian Wars]] against the [[Achaemenid Empire]]. He played a leading role in the formation of the [[Delian League]] against Persia in 478&nbsp;BC, becoming its commander in the early [[Wars of the Delian League]], including at the [[Siege of Eion]] (476&nbsp;BC).

In 466&nbsp;BC, Cimon led a force to [[Asia Minor]], where he destroyed a Persian fleet and army at the [[Battle of the Eurymedon]] river. From 465 to 463&nbsp;BC he suppressed the [[Thasian rebellion]], in which the island of [[Thasos]] attempted to leave the Delian League. This event marked the transformation of the Delian League into the [[Athenian Empire]].

Cimon took an increasingly prominent role in Athenian politics, generally supporting the aristocrats and opposing the popular party (which sought to expand the [[Athenian democracy]]). A [[laconophilia|laconist]], Cimon also acted as [[ancient Sparta|Sparta]]'s [[proxenos|representative in Athens]]. In 462&nbsp;BC, he convinced the [[Athenian Assembly]] to send military support to Sparta, where the [[helot]]s were in revolt (the [[Third Messenian War]]). Cimon personally commanded the force of 4,000 [[hoplite]]s sent to Sparta. However, the Spartans refused their aid, telling the Athenians to go home – a major diplomatic snub. The resulting embarrassment destroyed Cimon's popularity in Athens; he was [[ostracized]] in 461&nbsp;BC, exiling him for a period of ten years.

The [[First Peloponnesian War]] between Athens and Sparta began the following year. At the end of his exile, Cimon returned to Athens in 451&nbsp;BC and immediately negotiated a [[truce]] with Sparta; however it did not lead to a permanent peace. He then proposed an expedition to [[ancient Cyprus|Cyprus]], which was in revolt against the Persians. Cimon was placed in command of the fleet of 200 warships. He laid siege to the town of [[Kition]], but died (of unrecorded causes) around the time of the failure of the siege in 450&nbsp;BC.
{{anchor|Biography|History}}