About Ismenias
Ismenias was a politician and military personnel.
Ismenias (Ancient Greek: Ἰσμηνίας) was an ancient Theban politician of the 4th century BC, leader of the Theban democratic faction.
He rose to power in 403 BC, a year after the end of the Peloponnesian War, and pursued an anti-Spartan policy, which included harboring exiles fleeing from the Thirty Tyrants in Athens. In 382 BC, during a Spartan occupation of Thebes, he was identified, along with Androcleides, as one of the leaders of the anti-Spartan faction. He was imprisoned and executed for Medism.
Plato, in his work Meno, names him as an example of someone who made a great amount of money in a short period of time, "as much as Polycrates", by acquiring his wealth through a Persian gift, and in the Republic, he includes him in a list of rich and powerful men with little moral fiber. In 2008, Monique Canto-Sperber suggested that this money came from Persia with the aim of weakening Sparta.
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Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was Ismenias?
4th century BC Theban politician
When was Ismenias born?
Ismenias was born in Thebes.
When did Ismenias die?
Ismenias died in Thebes.
What was Ismenias's occupation?
Ismenias was a politician and military personnel.
What nationality was Ismenias?
Ismenias's recorded nationality: Thebes.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ismenias. https://biography.guide/ismenias/
MLA: "Ismenias." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ismenias/.
Chicago: "Ismenias." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ismenias/.
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