Themistocles (Greek: "'"'; c. 524-459 BC) was a leader in the Athenian democracy during the Persian Wars. He favored the expansion of the navy to meet the Persian threat and persuaded the Athenians to spend the surplus generated by their silver mines on building new ships - the Athenian navy grew from 70 to 200 ships. Themistocles was the son of Neocles, an Athenian of no distinction and moderate means, his mother being a Carian or a Thracian. Wikipedia
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