The book is the second part of a series of biographies of prominent political figures of archaic and classical Greece, this time Aristide, Themistocles, Cimon, Pericles. Based on the data of ancient sources and the results of the work of modern researchers, the author reconstructs the main events of the bright, often contradictory and rich in various twists and turns of the life path of these politicians. Particular attention is paid to the historical context and key issues related to the development of ancient Greek civilization, primarily the problems of classical Athenian democracy in the 5th century. BC - during the period of greatest power and prosperity of democratic Athens.