Athenian politician and general. As a politician, he was a populist, having the support of lower-class Athenians, and generally being at odds with the Athenian nobility. Elected archon in 493 BC, he convinced the polis to increase the naval power of Athens, with 200 new ships.
During the second Persian invasion, he was the commander of the Greek allied navy and the glorious victor at the battles of Artemisium and Salamis in 480 BC.