Themistocles

Themistocles (?524 BC-?460 BC) was an Ancient Greek Athenian politician and general. He fought against the Persians at the Battle of Marathon as a young man. He later persuaded Athens to build a navy which he commanded in the defeat of the Persians at the Battle of Salamis in 480 BC.
After the war he became unpopular and had to leave. He went to work for the Persian Empire.