Xenophon, in ancient Greek Xenophon, born c. 426 or 430 BC. AD, died c.355 BC. J.-C.), Greek philosopher, historian and master of war.
Born in the deme of Erchia in Attica, in the early years of the Peloponnesian War, Xenophon was the son of Gryllus, a member of a wealthy aristocratic family. He frequents the sophists, including Prodicus in Thebes, and becomes a pupil of Socrates.
Hostile to the restoration of democracy after the tyranny of the Thirty, he joined the expedition led by Cyrus the Younger, son of Darius II, against his brother Artaxerxes II. During the battle of Counaxa, in 401 BC. J.-C., the outcome of the fight is uncertain, but the battle turns to the advantage of the Persians when Cyrus is killed. Shortly after, the Greek leader, the Spartan Clearchus, was taken and executed. Xenophon is then elected commander of the rearguard of the army of Greek mercenaries, who find themselves alone on the plains between the Tigris and the Euphrates. He then led the retreat of 13,600 Greeks, nicknamed the "Ten Thousand" - a retreat he recounted in his most famous work, the Anabasis, and which culminated in the famous cry "thalassa!" thalassa! (“The sea! The sea!”) pushed by the Greeks seeing the Pont-Euxin at the exit of the mountains. Arrived in Thrace with his companions, he put himself at the service of King Seuthès whom he restored to his throne. Then he puts his men in the service of King Agesilaus II of Sparta.
On his return to Athens, he was poorly received and went to Sparta, where he was part of the troops of King Agesilaus II fighting in Persia. He was then banished by Athens, an ally of the Persians, and dispossessed of his property. In 394 BC. J.-C., he fights against the Athenians in Coronea. He moved to Scillonte, in Elis, where he spent more than 20 years, busy writing most of his works, in particular the Anabasis. Following a war between Sparta and the Eleans, he had to leave Scillonte and took refuge in Corinth in 371 BC. J.-C.. Athens being then the ally of Sparta, the sentence of banishment is lifted in 367 BC. AD, but there is no evidence that he returned to Athens. There is no more information about him as of but it is assumed that he died in 355 BC. J.-C..