Battle of Salamis
Greek: destruction or expulsion of the invading Persians
Charging - Marathon - Thermopylae - Artemisium - Salamis - Plataea - Mycale - Eurymedon
The naval battle of Salamis took place on 29 September (according to other sources 23, 24 or 25; exact date disputed) in 480 BC between the Greeks and Persians at Salamis place, an island near Athens.
This battle was one of the most important naval battles in the Mediterranean in ancient times.
- 3.1 According to Herodotus
- 3.2 According to Diodorus
- 3.3 According to Plutarch
- 6.1 sources
- 6.2 secondary literature
Prehistory
After the lost battle of Marathon (490 BC), the Persian Great King Darius I still had to incorporate the intention of the Greek city-states in the Persian empire. The purpose of the expansion should be the one filling the Persian state coffers with the wealth of the Greeks, on the other hand creating a springboard for further conquests in the Persian west.
To bring the fleet as possible undamaged in the battle area, the construction of a canal through the Athos peninsula was planned. But Darius I died during the war preparations 486 BC His son Xerxes I took over the management of the war preparations.
The begun under Darius I channel was initially completed. In addition, the Persians built two pontoon bridges across the Hellespont to advance with an army of about 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers. 480 BC, the preparations were complete and Xerxes I opened the campaign. 1000 Spartans, Thespians and Thebans, led by Leonidas, attempted penetration of the enemy to prevent and turned to the Persian army against the north of Greece, but were defeated at the Battle of Thermopylae. In consequence, the Athenian fleet had to withdraw after three days of operations at Artemisium on the north side of Euboea struck towards Athens. Xerxes could occupy and devastate Athens and the surrounding Attica. Now there were clashes between Athenians and Spartans as the Spartans wanted and thus defend the Isthmus of Corinth, the Peloponnese. The Athenians, however, translated to their fleet.
The Greeks appeared the situation quite hopeless, especially as they were numerically far inferior. To remedy the situation, asked Themistocles the oracle at Delphi for advice. The answer of the oracle was: " Seeking shelter behind wooden walls" This quote Themistocles interpreted so that only their triremes could offer protection against the Persians, others believed that one should expand the city wall. However, Themistocles was able to convince to let host the Battle of the fleet to the Council. The Athenian fleet had grown considerably since the Battle of Marathon, as a large part of the resources of Athens - from the silver mining Laureions coming - had been used for the construction of triremes. Thus, the city shifted to the sea. The men were on the ships and the women and children brought to near Salamis in safety.
Opponent
Greeks
According to Herodotus, the Greeks possessed at least 271 triremes, of which 180 or 200 originated most likely from Athens. The leadership of the fleet was responsible Themistocles and Eurybiades. The advantage of the Greek triremes existed in the greater maneuverability and speed compared to the Persian ships. Furthermore triremes had a battering ram with which the enemy ships were sunk by ramming. This tactic was common to the Greeks and the Persians. The triremes of Athens were most likely to shortly before the Persian invasion still under construction. According to Herodotus, the allies of Athens sent 124 triremes and nine Pentekonteren. Of the allies, Corinth was the greatest power with 40 ships. From Sparta came ten triremes. Since Sparta had a partnership with Athens else rejected, the Spartans Eurybiades was handed over the command of the fleet.
Persian
The Persian army consisted of a large land army and a fleet. Herodotus refers to 1207 triremes and reports of over 3,000 additional ships. Overall, the Trier Phoenician fleet is out of 300, have 200 Egyptian, Cypriot 150, 100 Cilicia, 30 Pamphylian, 50 Lycian, Dorian 30, 70 Carian, Ionian 100, 60 and 17 Aeolian Aegean ships passed. However, in science sees the number of ships to be exaggerated. The territory after nearly half the crews were Greek. In order to supply the land army, drove the invasion fleet in close contact with the army along the coast. Through the channel in Athosgebirge the Armada turned to the Thermai to follow the harbourless coast of Magnesia. Before the fleet in the harbor of Aphetai arrived, she was caught in a violent storm and lost, according to Herodotus around 400 ships.
Battle Record
According to Herodotus,
According to Herodotus, the Persian fleet broke up in the bay of Salamis to attack the Greeks. Xerxes I was convinced that the defeat of his fleet was due before Artemision on his absence. Now he wanted to see in person. From the general flow of battle, we know very little. On the first day there had been no battle more, since the arrival of the Persians already night fell. The Greeks were afraid and the soldiers of the Peloponnese tended to return to in order to unite with the land army and defend their homeland. That same night the Persian land army broke up towards the Peloponnese. At the Isthmus of Corinth, the construction of a wall had already started after Leonidas had been defeated at Thermopylae. Many tens of thousands were prepared to defend the Isthmus, under the command of Cleombrotus. For this, posted the following strains their soldiers: the Lacedaemonians ( Spartans ), Arcadians, Eleier, Corinthians, Sikyonians, Epidaurians, Phliasians, Troizener and Hermonien. According to Herodotus, the Greeks placed little value to a victory at sea. For this reason, it came to a meeting. Some wanted to sail to the Peloponnese and unite with the land army; but the Athenians and Megarians Aeginetans wanted to fight at sea. As Themistocles was overruled by the Assembly, he sent Sikinnos - the teacher of his children - in a boat to Xerxes. Sikinnos reported this, that Themistocles stand on the side of the king, the Greeks were disunited, wanted to escape, and would separate. Xerxes believed this message and included the Greeks. According to Herodotus, the Greeks knew nothing of the advance of the Persians and continued to hold the Council. Now Aristides from Aegina met one, which Themistocles had to call out by the Council and told him about the strategic inclusion of the fleet and the blocked escape route. Although Aristides was an opponent of Themistocles and ostracism ( ostracism ) been banished, but in the plight he let the differences rest. The Aristides of the Council described hopeless situation was confirmed from a ship Tenos. The Greeks were now ready with its 380 ships to fight and weighed anchor. The attack of the Persians was only a little later. Now the battle took its course and almost all Persian ships were sunk. The reason for victory Herodotus calls the good order of battle of the Greeks. Many Persians as the commander Ariabignes were killed because they could not swim. The losses among the Greek crews were far lower, since they were able to carry over floating to Salamis. According to Herodotus the Aeginetans were the most glorious Greeks, and after them the Athenians. After the battle the Greeks upgraded to a second wave of attacks to which it did not come. As Xerxes was afraid that the Greeks could destroy the bridge on the Hellespont, he retreated to Asia.
According to Diodorus
Diodorus clarified that Eurybiades was unable to motivate his troops. In his report, he sees the straits of Salamis as a strategic advantage to the Greeks for battle. He also reported on the battle grid. So the right wing of the Persians had been held by the Phoenicians and the left of the treacherous Greeks. In addition, the Ionian Greeks had a man sent from Samos to the Greeks, who had betrayed them the battle plans of the king. The battle formation of the Greeks: on the left wing the Athenians and the Lacedaemonians, the Aeginetans and Megarians held the right wing and the center was held by the rest of the Greeks. Diodorus mentions that through the Straits, the Persians had to downsize their line and their ships distributed to the rear lines: Over the course of battle. The chaos had broken out among the Persians, as the Persian ship sank with the Admiral. Overall, Diodorus speaks of 200 sunken Persian and 40 Greek ships. The Phoenicians were the first who had retreated to Asia. Later they had the whole Persian army of 400,000 men followed.
According to Plutarch,
According to Plutarch Xerxes I 've been sitting on a throne, which was located on a plateau and could see the whole battle scene. The 1000 Persian ships are only just 180 triremes have faced what is now assessed by the research impossible. Next we learn that Lycomedes was the first Greek who had captured an enemy ship. About the actual battle Plutarch mentions a fresh breeze that blew in the Sound of Salamis shortly before the battle. Since the Greek ships were rather slim built and well equipped against the wind, they could hold their line. The Persian ships, however - described as slow and less agile - drove alongside the Rammspornen of the Greeks.
Scientific attempts at reconstruction
It has often tried to gain more information from the sources in order to make more precise statements about the flow of battle can. Science is not agreed whether one can obtain accurate information about the flow of battle, from the sources, since they do not report in detail and contradict each part. What, however, all authors agree: the Greek ships have managed to come out of the port of Salamis and to deploy into battle formation. In addition, a outflanked by the Persian seems to have been impossible. Certainly the Greeks were local knowledge and the narrow straits narrowed the armies of the Persians. By the described in many sources flank attack it came to the battle ship against ship. It is generally assumed that the battle lasted a whole day. The number of Greek ships, which is called in the sources is estimated by modern research to be realistic. On the other hand takes the research that said number of 1207 Persian ships is exaggerated. It is estimated that the Persian ships to a maximum of 500
The scientists Morisson and Coates believe the reports of Aeschylus and interpret it so that the right wing of the Greeks in line abreast ordered the channel up and then drove umschwenkte in the keel line in the unexpected moment. So they broke through the ranks of the Persians on the left. According to current surveys are likely about 80 triremes in the 1200 m wide canal next to each other have found a place. The main reasons for the victory they mention the following points: the Persians seem to have underestimated the enemy. Their ships were less quickly because their oarsmen had to row all night and were tired, while the Greek rowers rested could stay on land. Thanks to the well-known stratagem of Themistocles, the Persian fleet, divided in to guard the Strait of Megara, which weakened the real battle fleet at Salamis; however, the Persian fleet was in turn due to the narrowness of the channel does not unfold, what offsetting the balance of power of the fleets. Consequently, the Persians could not take advantage of their superiority.
Effects
Salamis is measured by the number of participants, the largest naval battle in the history of antiquity. Numerous Persian and Greek ships were destroyed or sunk. Although the numerical superiority of the Persian ships was given, Xerxes I ordered a retreat.
Through the lost Battle of Salamis failed the Persian expansionism in Greece. The Battle of Plataea led to the destruction of the Persian land army. The Persian Great King Xerxes had fled after the naval battle of Salamis to Persia. The remnants of the Persian fleet was destroyed at Cape Mycale by the Greeks.
Athens rose to its fleet the dominant power in Greece and of Athenian Confederacy was formed.
A large effect was the battle of Salamis on the Theten, the lowest stratum of citizens, for not noble rider or the phalanx of the farmers had brought about the victory, but they. The battle was important in the subsequent period for the self- understanding and self-representation of the Athenian democracy and is particularly experienced a significant literary reception by the tragedy The Persians of Aeschylus.