Salamis according to herodotus page 2 waterblogged. Goodwin in 1885 i published an article on the battle of salamis, which was the result of frequent visits to salamis and the attic shores opposite the island, made during my residence in athens as director of the american school of classical studies in 18821883. The battle of artemesium the histories of herodotus excerpt. He fought at the naval battle of artemisium and the naval battle of salamis in. His land forces marched down the northern coasts of the aegean sea and. An overview of the battle of salamis with appropriate framing ionian revolt to artemisiumthermopylae through the persian retreat. Herodotus, in the seventh and eighth books of his histories entitled polymnia book vii and urania book viii, and polyaenus, in the eighth book of his. It happened in september 480 bc in the straits between the mainland and salamis island. Battle of salamis background for other uses, see battle of salamis disambiguation. Summary of and historical commentary on the histories of herodotus. On herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of salamis is an article from transactions of the american philological association 18691896, volume 8 view more articles from transactions of the american philological association 18691896. Salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. Ramsey parra llrn 151 01 300 scholars, artists, authors, and filmmakers in recent years have been interested in herodotuss depiction of the battle of thermopylae, creating several different versions and interpretations of the story across multiple forms of media.
The greek triumph at salamis stopped the advancing persians and saved the first democracy in history. The battle of salamis the battle of salamis was a naval battle that happened in 480 b. Herodotus was born at halicarnassus modern day bodrum, a city of mixed peoples including greeks and carians, on the fringe of the persian empire. This battle forms the centrepiece of book 8 of herodotus histories. According to herodotus, the athenians insist that their compatriots must send their fleets to salamis, a small island just opposite the athenian harbors. It tells of how queen artemisia, a persian ally, escaped from the battle of salamis 480 b. View this articles jstor metadata you may also retrieve all of this items. Farnell and goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point. Upset by the results of thermopylae, the greek fleet wants to retreat. Salamis a battle that defined history for centuries to come. Filled with the sights, sounds, and scent of battle, the battle of salamis is a stirring work of history. Jun 28, 2005 the battle of salamis by barry strauss is an enjoyable read that relies primarily on herodotuss histories in retelling the battle of salamis in 480 bc.
The battle of salamis was a naval battle between an alliance of greek citystates and the achaemenid empire of persia. Battle of salamis part of the grecopersian wars a romantic style painting. View more articles from transactions of the american philological association 18691896. Themistocles put the story into their the priests mouths.
Herodotus presents the battle as though it occurred directly after the capture of. The basics of an expansion of the athenian democracy were all inscribed in the aftermath of the battle of salamis and the coast of attica in 23 september 480 bc. The battle of salamis the histories of herodotus excerpt. The battle took place simultaneously with the more famous land battle at thermopylae, in august or september 480 bc, off the coast of euboea and was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, including sparta, athens, corinth and.
Opponents temistocle 530 bc 461 bc themistocles was born in athens between 520 and 530 bc, from a noble family. Although the persian host had suffered setbacks, delays and even minor reversals at thermopylae and. Of the other lower officers i shall make no mention, since no necessity is laid on me. On the first day after the battles at thermopylae and artemisium, xerxes marines visit the place. The battle of artemesium the histories of herodotus. When the priestess interpreted the significance of this, the athenians were all the more eager to abandon the city since the goddess had deserted the acropolis. In that battle antidorus of lemnos, the only one of the greeks siding with the persian, deserted to the greeks, and for that the athenians gave him land in salamis. To block the persian advance, a small force of greeks blocked the pass of thermopylae, while an. The battle of salamis as part of their assessable work, my senior students were asked to look at herodotus, plutarch and aeschylus accounts of the battle of salamis.
Herodotus covers the empires geography, social structure, and history before describing the events which led to xerxes invasion of greece and the greek citystates uniting to defeat his army. Herodotus, in the seventh and eighth books of his histories entitled polymnia book vii and urania book viii, and polyaenus, in the eighth book of his work stratagems, mention him. His land forces marched down the northern coasts of the aegean sea and down into greece by way of thessaly. Strauss draws heavily upon herodotus and aeschylus.
Feb 08, 2017 salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. The fact that artemisia was the ruling tyrant of halicarnassus, in which city of caria in greek ionia herodotus himself was born, is no doubt one of the reasons why this story was known to him. Herodotus, in the eighth book of histories entitled urania, and polyaenus, in the eighth book of his work stratagems, mention him damasithymos was an ally of xerxes i at the second persian invasion of greece. The fact that artemisia was the ruling tyrant of halicarnassus, in which city of caria in greek ionia herodotus himself was born, is no doubt one of the reasons why this story. Sea fights near artemisium concurrent with thermopylae 480 themistocles appeals to the ionians and carians fighting for persians 564 persians pillage phocis, boeotia medizes 568.
The role of the phoenician kings at the battle of salamis. Attacks on phocis, boeotia, delphi, plataea, athens. The battle of salamis 23 or 24 september 480 bc was the decisive battle of xerxess invasion of greece, and was a major greek naval victory that left the persian army dangerously isolated in southern greece. But even the crisis of the classical model of the poleis, that would soon explode in horrifying peloponnesian war, could be glimpsed in those facts. It is extremely difficult to date the events of the summer of 480, but all reconstructions by modern scholars assume that the games ended shortly before or most probably during the two battles on august 20 or september 18. On herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of salamis. Urania,87when the affairs of the king had come to great. Victory at salamis more persian shipwrecks off euboea. The battle of salamis by barry strauss is an enjoyable read that relies primarily on herodotuss histories in retelling the battle of salamis in 480 bc. The battle of salamis goodreads meet your next favorite book. Publishers weekly jun 1, 2004 this engaging and informative account of the 480 b. But he also claims that those losses had been replaced by the time of salamis, and the persian fleet still stood at 1,200. Battle of salamis project gutenberg selfpublishing.
On herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of. The first world empire and the battle for the west by tom holland. In this, herodotus accounts xerxes hasty retreat after salamis in fear of the greek fleet while leaving his army behind. Damasithymus was an ally of xerxes i at the second persian invasion of greece. Then, the book traces the invasion route, culminating in the sacking of athens. His histories, which provide an account in nine books of the conflict between the greece and asia from the middle of the sixth century b. Battle of salamis simple english wikipedia, the free.
The role of the phoenician kings at the battle of salamis in 480 b. Naumachia tes salaminos was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek citystates under themistocles, and the persian empire under king xerxes in 480 bc. Phocis is overrun by the persians without a battle. Translated from tales from herodotus farnell and goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point. He tells the story of the persian invasion of greece in 490 bc and the decisive naval battle at salamis with an easy style focused on character development. The author does an excellent job of reconstructing the actual battle and providing insights into key characters.
Herodotus the storyteller pictured on your left, herodotus. One of the great naval battles in history, salamis saw the outnumbered greeks best a larger persian fleet. It is extremely difficult to date the events of the summer of 480, but all. The acropolis was destroyed by the persians in 480 bc. Battle of salamis the great battles of history ars bellica. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. The focus here is the critical naval battle of salamis, which turned back the persian forces that had broken through the thin spartan line at thermopylae. Ten years after the defeat of the persians at marathon in 490 b. Dec 23, 2015 the battle of salamis was the major turning point in the second persian invasion of greece.
In the year 492493 he was elected archon for the democratic partys, expression of maritime business groups worried by the persian repression of the ionian revolt, and immediately transformed the military port of piraeus in athens, despite the opposition of. However, it contained a little too many pictures and to little content for my liking. The history of the second persian war as presented in most of the modern literature is solely based on herodotus histories. The battle of salamis was the major turning point in the second persian invasion of greece. He fought at the naval battle of artemisium and the naval battle of salamis. The battle of salamis is one of the major turning points of european history, and one of. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories essay 1146 words 5 pages western civilization february 8, 2009 the battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories the battle of thermopylae, which herodotus recorded in his writing the histories, was one of the most arduous and notable battles of western history. Book viii deals with the second persian war, and chapters 8396 deal specifically with salamis. It marked the highpoint of the second persian invasion of greece, which had begun that spring.
Book seven of herodotus histories ended with a greek defeat, but in book eight we will hear about greek successes. Gyges, ardys, sadyattes ii, alyattes and finally, his son croesus who we look at in some detail. When you get as far as the battle of salamis in book viii of herodotus. The battle of thermopylae from herodotus the histories. The battle took place simultaneously with the more famous land battle at thermopylae, in august or september 480 bc, off the coast of euboea and was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, including sparta, athens, corinth and others, and. In its first logos, we witness the naval engagement on the sea between aphetae and artemisium. The naval encounter that saved greece and western civilization is geared for the more general reader. With the dawn of the day of the battle of salamis in ch.
The greek commander was the admiral of the small spartan squadron, a man named eurybiades. After some careful source work, detecting bias, exaggeration and other historiographical questions, they were asked to write a written account of the battle. Barry strauss is a worldclass academic classicist, but the battle of salamis. Lacuscurtius herodotus editors introduction to books viii and ix. Herodotus is mistaken about the date of the olympic games. While his extensive notes and source discussion at the end of the book lists works discussing the accuracy of these accounts, there is little discussion in the.
Artemisia at salamis internet history sourcebooks project. Herodotus book also contains ethnographic descriptions of the peoples that the persians have conquered, fairy tales, gossip, and legends. Jun 29, 2004 an overview of the battle of salamis with appropriate framing ionian revolt to artemisiumthermopylae through the persian retreat. In the narrow strait between the island of salamis and the greek mainland, a heavily outnumbered greek navy defeated the persian armada in a brilliant victory that is still studied today. Greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure to understand his words, and hence much misplaced editorial intervention. In the aftermath of the battle the persians retreated back to thessaly, and xerxes returned home with most of the army leaving a sizable force to continue the campaign. Our chief sources of knowledlge concerning the battle of salamis are aeschylus, persians, 345 ff.
It resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered greeks. Herodotuss history is an account of the grecopersian wars 499479 bce and the story of the growth and organization of the persian empire. For other uses, see battle of salamis disambiguation. In the histories, he describes the expansion of the achaemenid empire under its kings cyrus the great, cambyses, and darius i the great, culminating in xerxes expedition to greece 480 bce, which met with disaster in the naval engagement at salamis and the battles at plataea and mycale. The battle of salamis is a fascinating subject for many reasons and salamis 480 bc is an informative entry level book on the subject. The battle of salamis was fought in september 480 bc during the persian wars 499 to 449 bc. The battle of salamis was the first great and unexpected victory of the greeks over the persian forces under xerxes.
The battle of salamis was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek city states under themistocles, and the persian empire under king xerxes in 480 bc. Sep 29, 2010 it tells of how queen artemisia, a persian ally, escaped from the battle of salamis 480 b. Herodotus reports that the persians earlier had lost up to 400 triremes during a storm off the coast of magnesia and perhaps another 50 at the battle of artemisium. The book begins by describing the background to xerxes invasion of greece. The next logos opens with a description of a serious quarrel between the greek admirals. The greek strategy at the battle of salamis 480 bce ancient. The battle of salamis was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek citystates under themistocles, and the persian empire under king xerxes in 480 bc. Herodotus s depiction of the battle of thermopylae 1278 words 6 pages. Herodotus counts by generations, for example the kings of the mermnads dynasty, ruling from c. The battle was fought in the straits between the mainland and salamis, an island in the saronic gulf near athens, and marked the high point of the second persian invasion of greece. The battle of artemisium, or battle of artemision, was a series of naval engagements over three days during the second persian invasion of greece. The battle of artemesium was a 3day naval action by the combined fleet of the greek coalition against the enormous naval forces of the persian empire.
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