Aristides

Aristides,(530?–468? B.C.), an Athenian statesman and military leader. He was called "the Just" because of his complete honesty in an era when corruption was common.

Cimon

Cimon, (507?–449 B.C.), an Athenian general and statesman. He was the son of Miltiades, the general who won fame at the Battle of Marathon.

Cleisthenes

Cleisthenes, or Clisthenes (latter part of the sixth century B.C.), an Athenian statesman and reformer credited with establishing democratic government in the Athenian city-state.

Dionysius

Dionysius, the name of two rulers, father and son, of ancient Syracuse, a Greek city in Sicily.

Draco

Draco, an Athenian statesman of the seventh century B.C. He is remembered mainly for the severity of his laws, which, according to tradition, formed Athens' first written code.

Epaminondas

Epaminondas (418?–362 B.C.), a Greek general of ancient Thebes. His genius gave his native city a brief period of glory, and under him Thebes displaced Sparta as the strongest power in Greece, as Sparta had previously displaced Athens.

Lycurgus

Lycurgus, in ancient Greece, the traditional lawgiver of Sparta. Most historians believe he was purely mythological while some believe he actually lived, sometime between 1100 B.C.

Lysander

Lysander (died 395 B.C.), a Spartan naval and military commander. By defeating the Athenian fleet at Aegospotami in 405 B.C., and then capturing Athens in 404, Lysander ended the Peloponnesian War.

Lysias

Lysias (459?–380? B.C.), an Athenian orator. Those speeches of Lysias that are still in existence provide valuable material on the customs and politics of the age.

Nicias

Nicias (?–413 B.C.), an Athenian general and statesman. Nicias was leader of the conservative, pro-Spartan party in Athens.

Pausanias

Pausanias, a Greek traveler and geographer of the second century A.D. Pausanias was probably a native of Lydia, in Asia Minor.

Pelopidas

Pelopidas (?–364 B.C.), a Theban statesman and general. In 382 B.C. Pelopidas went into exile at Athens when Spartan troops seized control of Thebes.

Pericles

Pericles, (490?–429 B.C.), an Athenian statesman. Pericles ruled Athens from 461 until his death in 429.

Pisistratus

Pisistratus, or Peisistratus (605?– B.C.), the first Athenian tyrant (illegal ruler).

Pittacus

Pittacus (650?–570? B.C.), a Greek statesman who was called one of the Seven Wise Men of Greece.