Xanthippus (; , ; 520 – 475 BC) was a wealthy Athenian politician and general during the Greco-Persian Wars. He was the son of Ariphron and father of Pericles, both prominent Athenian statesmen.William Smith, A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, Vol. 3. (London, UK: 1864), p. 191. A marriage to Agariste, niece of Cleisthenes, linked Xanthippus with the Alcmaeonid clan, whose aristocratic interests he often represented in government.Herodotus, The Histories 6.131.Plutarch, Life of Pericles 3.1. He was ostracized in 484 BC,David Sacks, Lisa R. Brody, and Oswyn Murray, Encyclopedia of the Ancient Greek World (New York City, NY: Infobase Publishing, 2009), p. 370. likely arising from his rivalry with Themistocles,Plutarch, Comparison of Aristides and Marcus Cato 2.3. but he was recalled from exile when the Persians invaded Greece. He commanded the Athenian fleets in the Battle of Mycale and the Siege of Sestos. It is possible that he participated in the Battle of Marathon and Battle of Salamis.

Early life Little is known of Xanthippus' personal or early life. He was likely born by 520 BC.Brunilde Sismondo Ridgway, “An Issue of Methodology: Anakreon, Perikles, Xanthippos,” American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 102, No. 4, 1998, p. 720. His name means "Yellow Horse."Sacks, Brody, Murray (2009), p. 370. Hailing from an aristocratic family, Xanthippus probably received an education in literacy, numeracy, and civic engagement.T.J. Morgan, "Literate education in classical Athens," The Classical Quarterly, Vol. 49, Issue 1. May 1999. pp. 47–50. His father Ariphron was likely a partisan of Pisistratus and owned property that Xanthippus would inherit.Ridgway (1998), p. 724.Smith (1864), p. 191. No later than 496 BC Xanthippus married Agariste of the Alcmaeonid clan,Ridgway (1998), p. 720. a wealthy and influential Athenian family, who gave birth to their son Pericles around 495 BC.

Political career

As a citizen-soldier of Athens and a member of the aristocracy, Xanthippus likely fought during the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. He first appears in historical record the following year (489 BC), heading the prosecution of Miltiades the Younger, the general who had contributed to Athenian victory at Marathon.Herodotus, The Histories 6.132–135. Miltiades had asked for a fleet of 70 ships and a supply of troops to be put at his disposal in reward for his victory, saying that he would not reveal his intentions, but that the venture would generate profit for the city. The Athenians granted his wish, but he met with set-backs during an attack on Paros and had to return empty handed and wounded. Many Athenians suspected him of treason.Edward Bulwer Lytton and Oswyn Murray, Athens : Its Rise and Fall ; with Views of the Literature, Philosophy, and Social Life of the Athenian People (London: Routledge, 2004), pp. 327. The Alcmaeonidae were traditional political rivals of Miltiades' clan, the Philaidae, and they pressed for charges against the general, with Xanthippus making their case and asking for the death penalty.William Lamartine Snyder, The Military Annals of Greece from the Earliest Time to the Beginning of the Peloponnesian War, Vol. 1 (Boston: R. G. Badger, 1915), p. 239. As Miltiades was in great pain due to injuries and could not defend himself, his allies argued on his behalf and managed to avoid his execution. Instead, he was fined a sum too large to pay and imprisoned as a debtor. In prison he died of his wounds, and his son, Cimon, would pay the fine on his behalf.Herodotus,The Histories 6.136. Immediately following the trial Xanthippus was distinguished by the Athenians for his actions, though the incident would remain politically attached to him.

In the Constitution of Athens, Aristotle claimed that "Xanthippus was at the head of the people, while Miltiades represented the upper classes," placing him in the ideological trail of Solon, Pisistratus, and Cleisthenes.Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 28.1.

Ostracism

Xanthippus' leadership was short lived due to his ostracism in 484 BC. Xanthippus allied with his fellow aristocrat Aristides to counter the ambitions of Themistocles.Evelyn Abbott, Pericles and the Golden Age of Athens (New York City, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1891), p. 17. Around the year 480 BC, the names of Xanthippus and Aristides would come to be invoked in songs critiquing "the liar, the cheat, and traitor" Themistocles,Plutarch, Life of Themistocles 21.2–3. who Plutarch claimed played a hand in a series of ostracisms that removed the pair from Athens. Named after the ostrakon shards that votes would be cast on, should a quorum of 6,000 votes be cast in an ostracism, the man whose name received the most votes would be exiled for ten years, upon which time he could return without legal or political ramification.Plutarch, Life of Aristides 7.4–9. There were 5 prominent ostracisms of aristocrats during the political clashes of the 480s BC, concerned with removing those connected with the tyrant Pisistratus. Xanthippus was the first ostracism not in connection with the tyranny, followed by Aristides.Aristotle, Constitution of Athens 22.6–8. Themistocles was rumored to be involved with both ostracisms.Marek Węcowski. Athenian Ostracism and its Original Purpose (UK: Oxford University Press, 2022), pp. 89, 235. His father's connection to Pisistratus was not noted as a cause.Ridgway (1998), pp. 720, 724.

Ostrakon shards recovered from the western slope of the Areopagus in the 1990s were translated in 2018 and have been attributed to the ostracism vote of 484 BC. Of the surviving 56 ostraka naming Xanthippus, one explains that Xanthippus disrespected the prytaneion.Martina Zerbinati, "L’ostracismo di Santippo, figlio di Arrifrone, «il più colpevole tra i pritani sacrileghi». Alcune riflessioni alla luce di recenti scoperte archeologiche." Erga-Logoi, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Italy: LED Edizioni Universitarie, 2018), pp. 30–32. This accusation has been associated with Cylon's attempted coup of Athens between 636 and 632 BC, where Archon Megacles of the Alcmaeonid clan ordered the execution of Cylon's followers who were in the Athenian Acropolis, and was perhaps populated by Themistocles.Zerbinati (2018), pp. 32.Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.126. Another shard claims that Xanthippus, "curse of the leaders, has been especially harmful," likely referencing his prosecution of Miltiades.Zerbinati (2018), pp. 33–34.

Second Persian invasion of Greece The Persians returned to attack Greece in 480 BC, and Themistocles and Athens recalled both Xanthippus and Aristides to aid in the defence of the city. The city of Athens had to be abandoned to protect its citizens and Plutarch relates a folk tale about Xanthippus' dog, who had been left behind by his master when the Athenians embarked for the safety of the Island of Salamis.Plutarch, Life of Themistocles 10.5. In the story, out of loyalty the dog jumped into the sea and swam after Xanthippus' boat, managing to swim across to the isle before dying of exhaustion.Edward Bulwer Lytton and Oswyn Murray, Athens : Its Rise and Fall ; with Views of the Literature, Philosophy, and Social Life of the Athenian People (London: Routledge, 2004), p. 412. In Plutarch's day there was still a place on Salamis called "the dog's grave."Plutarch, Marcus Cato 5.4.

Xanthippus at least witnessed, if not fought in, the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC, which forced back the Persian offensive and boosted the reputation of the Athenians amongst the Greeks.Lytton and Murray (2004), p. 417–423. Xanthippus was elected to the position of eponymous archon the following year (479/478 BC).Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 11.27.1. At that time a large force of Persian infantry still remained in Greece and Athens remained engaged. He additionally succeeded Themistocles as commander of the Athenian fleet that year (479/478 BC), while Aristides was given command of the land forces.Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 11.27.1 The ancient Greek historian Diodorus Siculus suggested that the Athenians began to challenge Spartan control of the sea after they were accredited with the victory at Salamis. Allegedly threatened by this, the Spartans awarded Themistocles "with double the number of gifts awarded to those who had received the prize of valour," causing the Athenians to remove him from the role of commander, giving the position to Xanthippus.Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 11.27.3

Battle of Mycale

Xanthippus was the Athenian commander directing naval forces against the Persians off the coast of Lydia in Asia Minor.Lytton and Murray (2004), p. 426.J. P. Barron, "The Liberation of Greece," in The Cambridge Ancient History, 2nd Ed. (Cambridge University Press, 1988), p. 611. The remains of the Persian fleet that had survived the Battle of Salamis were stationed at the island of Samos.Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 11.34.2. According to Diodorus Siculus, ambassadors from Samos informed Xanthippus and Leotychidas, representing the Spartans, that the Ionian cities wanted to revolt. The Greeks laid anchor on Delos with 250 triremes who set sail for Samos.Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 11.34.3–4. When the Persians discovered that they were being pursued by the Greek fleet they abandoned Samos and sailed to the opposite shore, under the slopes of Mount Mycale, where they beached their ships and retreated inland to set up a defensive fort.Lytton and Murray (2004), pp. 442–446. The Greek forces launched an attack on them, with Xanthippus leading his Athenian contingent on the left flank. Diodorus Siculus alleges that a herald was sent to sail toward the Persians and announce, "The Greeks, having conquered the Persians, are now come to liberate the Greek cities of Asia."Didorus Siculus, Library of History 11.34.4.

Xanthippus' men allegedly had smoother terrain to cross than the other flank, so they engaged in combat with the Persians first. They broke through the line and the Persian troops returned to their fort.Herodotus, The Histories 9.101–5. The Athenians were able to breach the wall and the other flank joined them in the attack. Herodotus claims this battle occurred on the same day as the Battle of Plataea, where Aristides led the Athenian contingent under the command of the Spartan Pausanias, and defeated the Persian land-forces.Herodotus, The Histories 9.99–106. These two decisive battles depleted the Persian fleet and saw the Persian army led by Mardonius defeated, effectively ending the second Persian invasion and Persian control of the Aegean Sea and Ionian city-states.Herodotus, The Histories 9.100–113.Lytton and Murray (2004), p. 445.

Siege of Sestos