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Plataea

(Encyclopedia)Plataea plətēˈə [key], ancient city of Greece, in S Boeotia (now Voiotía), on the slope of Mt. Cithaeron (Kithairón). Plataea had voluntarily passed from Theban to Athenian protection before the...

Pharnabazus

(Encyclopedia)Pharnabazus färnəbāˈzəs [key], d. after 374 b.c., Persian governor. He had an important satrapy in Asia Minor under Darius II and Artaxerxes II. He was responsible for the assassination (404 b.c....

Dionysius the Elder

(Encyclopedia)Dionysius the Elder, c.430–367 b.c., tyrant of Syracuse. Of humble origin, he entered politics as a supporter of the poorer classes. Having prompted (400 b.c.) a measure to elect truly democratic ge...

Croesus

(Encyclopedia)Croesus krēˈsəs [key], d. c.547 b.c., king of Lydia (560–c.547 b.c.), noted for his great wealth. He was the son of Alyattes. He continued his father's policy of conquering the Ionian cities of A...

Alcmaeonidae

(Encyclopedia)Alcmaeonidae ălkˌmēŏˈnĭdē [key], Athenian family powerful in the 7th, 6th, and 5th cent. b.c. Blamed for the murder of the followers of the would-be tyrant Cylon (c.632 b.c.), which had been or...

Phocis

(Encyclopedia)Phocis fōˈsĭs [key], ancient region of central Greece. It included Delphi, Mt. Parnassus, and Elatea; Boeotia (now Voiotía) was on the east, and the Gulf of Corinth was on the south. After the Fir...

Theramenes

(Encyclopedia)Theramenes thərămˈənēz [key], c.455–404? b.c., Athenian statesman. He helped to establish (411 b.c.) the oligarchical Four Hundred but was later active in overthrowing them. He fought in the Pe...

Pylos

(Encyclopedia)Pylos pīˈlŏs [key], ancient harbor, Messenia, SW Greece, on a bay of the Ionian Sea. Excavations have revealed a great Mycenaean palace of the 13th cent. b.c., perhaps the dwelling of King Nestor. ...

Callistratus

(Encyclopedia)Callistratus kəlĭsˈtrətəs [key], d. c.360 b.c., Athenian statesman and orator. Believing Thebes to be more dangerous to Athens than Sparta, he favored a peace with Sparta. He and Callias in 371 b...

Persian Wars

(Encyclopedia)Persian Wars, 500 b.c.–449 b.c., series of conflicts fought between Greek states and the Persian Empire. The writings of Herodotus, who was born c.484 b.c., are the great source of knowledge of the ...