A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology
William Smith, Ed.

Xanthippus

1. The son of Ariphron and father of Pericles. In B. C. 490, he impeached Miltiades on his return from his unsuccessful expedition against the island of Paros. In B. C. 484 he left Athens together with the other inhabitants on the approach of Xerxes, and in the following year (B. C. 479) he succeeded Themistocles as commander of the Athenian fleet. He commanded the Athenians at the decisive battle of Mycale, which was fought on the coast of Ionia on the same day as the battle of Plataea, September, B. C. 470. The Grecian fleet then sailed to the Hellespont; and when they found that the bridge had been broken down, Leotychides and the Peloponnesians returned home forthwith. Xanthippus, however, remained with the Athenian fleet in order to subdue the Chersonese, where several of the Athenians had previously held considerable property. The Persians threw themselves into the town of Sestos, to which Xanthippus laid siege, and which was obliged to surrender early in the following spring (B. C. 478). The Persian governor Artayctes attempted to escape, but was overtaken and abandoned by Xanthippus to the vengeance of the inhabitants of Elaeus, who crucified him. [ARTAYCTES.] Xanthippus then returned to Athens with his fleet. (Hdt. 6.131, 136; Plut. Them. 10 ; Hdt. 8.131, 9.114-120.)