Xenophon

(c. 430 BC - c. 351 BC)

The Greek historian and philosopher Xenophon was born into a wealthy Athenian family and studied in his youth with Socrates. In 401 BC, he joined a Persian mercenary army, relating in The Anabasis his exploits in the service of Cyrus the Younger during his rebellion against the Persian king Artaxerxes II. Xenophon wrote additional works on Socrates, Greek history, horsemanship, and hunting, among other subjects, and his work had a strong influence on Latin literature.