Ameinias of Athens

Ameinias or Aminias (Ἀμεινίας) was a younger brother of the playwright Aeschylus and the hero of the battle of Marathon Cynaegirus. He also had a sister, named Philopatho (Φιλοπαθώ), who was the mother of the Athenian tragic poet Philocles. His father was Euphorion (Ευφορίωνας). Ameinias was from the Attica deme of Pallene according to Herodotus, or of that of Decelea according to Plutarch. He distinguished himself at the battle of Salamis as a Trireme commander, revenging the death of his brother Cynaegirus at Marathon.

He made the first attack upon the Persian ships (according to Athenians his ship made the first attack, but Aeginetans said that one of their ships made the first attack), he also pursuit the ship of Artemisia, and she rammed and sunk the ship of Damasithymos who was her ally to escape. When Ameinias saw that he thought that her ship was Greek and he changed the direction of his Trireme to chase other Persian ships.

In addition, according to Plutarch, he and the Socles (Σωκλής) of Pallene were the men who killed the Ariamenes (Αριαμένης) (Herodotus says that his name was Ariabignes), brother of Xerxes and admiral of the Persian navy. When Ariamenes attempted to board on their ship, they hit him with their spears, and thrust him into the sea.

Ameinias and Eumenes (Ευμένης) of Anagyrus (Αναγυρούντα) (Anagyrus is the modern Vari) were judged to have been the bravest on this occasion among all the Athenians. Aelian mentions that Ameinias prevented the condemnation of his brother Aeschylus by the Areopagus.