Who is Xenophon of Athens from Conversations of Socrates and what is their importance?

Xenophon of Athens was the son of Gryllus, a soldier and friend of Socrates. He was a Greek historian, who wrote about the history of Athens and preserved Socrates' sayings. Born into the upper classes, he participated in the military from an early age. Xenophon chose to fight for the Spartans against Athens, and he was later exiled. It is, however, believed that his exile was a direct result of his association with Socrates. Xenophon's historical works were read for centuries, but at various times have fallen out of favor as they are often considered bias, cobbled-together and poorly written.