Xenophon of Athens (/ˈzɛnəfən, -ˌfɒn/; Greek: Ξενοφῶν,
Ancient Greek: [ksenopʰɔ̂ːn], Xenophōn; c. 430 – 354 BC)
was an ancient Greek philosopher, historian, soldier,
mercenary, and student of Socrates. As a historian,
Xenophon is known for recording the history of his time,
the late-5th and early-4th centuries BC, in such works as the Hellenica, which covered the final seven years and the aftermath
of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), thus representing
a thematic continuation of Thucydides' History
of the Peloponnesian War. As one of the 'Ten Thousand',
Greek mercenaries, Xenophon also participated
in Cyrus the Younger's failed campaign to claim the Persian throne
from his brother Artaxerxes II of Persia and recounted the events in Anabasis, his most notable history. Like Plato (427–347 BC),
Xenophon is an authority on Socrates about whom
he wrote several books of dialogues (the Memorabilia)
and an Apology of Socrates to the Jury,
which recounts the philosopher's trial in 399 BC.
Despite being born an Athenian citizen,
Xenophon was also associated with Sparta,
the traditional enemy of Athens. His pro-oligarchic politics,
military service under Spartan generals
in the Persian campaign and elsewhere
and his friendship with King Agesilaus II
endeared Xenophon to the Spartans.
Some of his works have a pro–Spartan bias,
especially the royal biography Agesilaus
and the Constitution of the Spartans.
Xenophon's works span several genres
and are written in plain-language Attic Greek,
for which reason they serve as translation
exercises for contemporary students of the
Ancient Greek language. In the Lives and
Opinions of Eminent Philosophers,
Diogenes Laërtius observed that as a writer
Xenophon of Athens was known as the “Attic Muse”,
for the sweetness of his diction (2.6).
