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Summary.

Introduction: Cimon’s Family and Character.

Cimon’s Early Career.

Cimon’s Successes.

The Beginning of Conflict with the Democrats.

Democratic Reforms Behind Cimon’s Back.

The Reforms that Cimon Opposed.

→ Cimon’s Last Years and Death.

Secondary Works Cited.

Index of Citations

General Index

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Cimon 

Christopher W. Blackwell, edition of January 31, 2003

page 8 of 9

· Cimon’s Last Years and Death ·

Read about the evidence
Andocides (Andoc. 4).
Andocides (Andoc. 3).
Plutarch (Plut. Per.).
Plutarch (Plut. Cim.).
 
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Sparta.
Athens.
Tanagra.

Cimon had been ostracized in 462, which meant that he was exiled from Athens for ten years (Plut. Cim. 17.2; Andoc. 4.33; Andoc. 3.3; Plut. Per. 9.4). In 458 BCE, however, when Sparta and Athens were at war and facing each other for battle at Tanagra, Cimon volunteered himself to fight for the city. The Athenians refused his services, but when his tribe, the Oeneidae, fought well (though they died to the last man), the Athenians had a change of heart, and Pericles himself persuaded them to bring Cimon back from exile (Plut. Cim. 17.3-6; source for date: OCD3).

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Thucydides (Thuc.).
Aeschines (Aeschin. 2).
Andocides (Andoc. 3).
 
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Athens.
Sparta.

Around 450 BCE, Cimon negotiated a treaty between Athens and Sparta, thus (temporarily) bringing an end to the war (Thuc. 1.112.1; see also the comments at Aeschin. 2.172 and Andoc. 3.3, which are not consistent).

Read about the evidence
Plutarch (Plut. Cim.).
Thucydides (Thuc.).
 
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Egypt.
Citium.

Cimon’s last years saw him return to the calling in which he had his greatest success, leading Athenian warships against Persian enemies. He led an Athenian military expedition to fight against the Persians in Egypt (Plut. Cim. 18.1-7). He died at Citium, either from an illness or from a wound (Plut. Cim. 19.1; Thuc. 1.112.4).

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