This is a fascinating biography of a uniquely charismatic and controversial statesman. It is also a valuable historical document to a key period in Greek history, the early fifth century B.C. While acknowledging the important ethical and literary dimensions of Plutarch’s biographical work, the editor deliberately concentrates on the historical aspects of the Themistocles. The commentary includes much detailed comparison of Plutarch’s narrative with those of other sources such as Herodotus, Thucydides, Diodorus and Cornelius Nepos in an attempt to dispel the many myths and prejudices surrounding Themistocles and to produce as accurate as possible a picture of both the man and his period.