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Battle of Salamis
The battle of Salamis in 480BC is perhaps one of the most significant sea battles in history. Without it, according to Professor Barry Strauss, none of the things we associate with the golden age of fifth century Athens – democracy, art, literature and philophical debate – would have happended.The historic victory against the Persians was masterminded by the Athenian admiral Themistocles. Themistocles embodied the new democratic values as he was not an aristocrat but was freshly empowered by the opportunities that the new democracy was affording. His vision was that Athens should command the seas. He foresaw the threat of Persia and he argued vigorously that the Athenians should spend their new-found fortunes on building a new fleet of warships. Over the next three years the Athenians built a fleet of more than 200 triremes.
The split between East and West
Five hundred years before the birth of Christ the world was dominated by the great empires of Asia, whilst Europe was still a province of primitive tribes.
Five hundred years before the birth of Christ the world was dominated by the great empires of Asia, whilst Europe was still a province of primitive tribes.
Persia, a new power, swallowed up the great civilizations of the Middle East, forming the first superpower in world history, stretching from the mouth of the Indus to the gates of Europe. But with the events at Salamis this world order was on the brink of cataclysmic change.
Defeating the Persians at Salamis gave renewed strength to the development of Athenian democracy. Professor Paul Cartledge claims that the victory gave the Athenians greater belief in the supremacy of Western democracy and the power of the people over Eastern tyranny. But the consequences of the victory extended even further than this, leading Athens to set its sights on building an empire and setting in stone the political schism between East and West.
Defeating the Persians at Salamis gave renewed strength to the development of Athenian democracy. Professor Paul Cartledge claims that the victory gave the Athenians greater belief in the supremacy of Western democracy and the power of the people over Eastern tyranny. But the consequences of the victory extended even further than this, leading Athens to set its sights on building an empire and setting in stone the political schism between East and West.
How Themistocles masterminded victory
Themistocles realised the key to defeating the Persians was to persuade them to fight on his terms – at sea. His tactic was to abandon the city of Athens completely and lure the enemy into the straits at Salamis. The narrow passage meant the larger size of the Persian navy would be less of an advantage. Cosmos Kristedes, a captain in the modern Greek navy who has studied the battle, has shown how Themistocles also took advantage of morning winds and currents to disorientate the Persian fleet. Once the Persians had entered the narrow straits, the Greek tactics were to ram their ships and then quickly back off before they could be damaged in turn. On the morning of 25th September 480BC in a bloody battle that lasted the entire day the Greeks massacred the Persians and annihilated their navy.
Themistocles realised the key to defeating the Persians was to persuade them to fight on his terms – at sea. His tactic was to abandon the city of Athens completely and lure the enemy into the straits at Salamis. The narrow passage meant the larger size of the Persian navy would be less of an advantage. Cosmos Kristedes, a captain in the modern Greek navy who has studied the battle, has shown how Themistocles also took advantage of morning winds and currents to disorientate the Persian fleet. Once the Persians had entered the narrow straits, the Greek tactics were to ram their ships and then quickly back off before they could be damaged in turn. On the morning of 25th September 480BC in a bloody battle that lasted the entire day the Greeks massacred the Persians and annihilated their navy.
For more information on the Athenian trireme warships and the battle of Salamis, go to Find Out More.
