Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle off salamis. They did not however think it wise to make straight for the greek station, lest the. To reach this goal, they sent the two hundred warships around euboea. Mache tes mykales was one of the two major battles that ended the second persian invasion of greece during the grecopersian wars. On one level, the cooperation herodotus seems to pine for did happen. Our chief sources of knowledlge concerning the battle of salamis are aeschylus, persians, 345 ff. 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 in the following.
The persian king xerxes was also eager for a decisive battle. Artemisias exploits in the battle of salamis are more famous than most because herodotus says that he cannot relay many other exploits but hers. After the conquest of the strait of thermopylae from the persians and the end of the battle of artemisium without decisive result, the greek fleet left the sea area to the north of euboea directed. 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. The battle of salamis the histories of herodotus excerpt. Tracing such interpretation and revision reveals much about herodotus as an historian. Herodotus the persian wars godleybook viii wikisource, the. But the peloponnesians, who were itching to get back closer to home, did not promise to actually fight a battle at salamis. Suffice it to say that as soon as the news of leonidass death reached the peloponnesians, their armies, commanded by cleombrotus, leonidass brother, marched immediately to the isthmus and they were now engaged in.
In this battle only one of the greeks who fought on the side of the king. If the persians would enter the strait between salamis and the mainland, they would easily. They fight an inconclusive naval battle at artemisium, and the athenians decide to abandon athens to the persians. The battle was fought in the straits between the mainland and salamis, an island in the saronic gulf near athens, and marked the highpoint of the second persian invasion of greece. Salamis according to herodotus page 2 waterblogged. Artemisias reasons for ramming a friendly ship are unknown, as herodotus acknowledges, but they give him the chance to unfold a punchline that reveals something of greek expectations of gender roles. In this article we present an alternative interpretation of herodotus story by using the information derived from an. Thanks to their efforts, the greek fleet swells to almost 400 ships. Histories book 8 the battle of salamis summary course hero. View this articles jstor metadata you may also retrieve all of this items metadata in json at the following.
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. Divided by later editors into nine books named after the muses, the history traces the growth of the persian empire, starting with croesus of lydia, though cyrus and xerxes. The greeks at salamis learn that xerxes is in athens. However, herodotus narration seems to contain several unrealistic elements which raise doubts about the actual strategy of the greek alliance. The athenians try to convince the other greeks to marshal their naval strength at salamis. For by joining battle first, in the strait, with few ships against many, if all likelihoods from the conflict come out, we shall much prevail.
Book 8 the persian invasion of greece is accompanied by a large navy. Although the persian host had suffered setbacks, delays and even minor reversals at thermopylae and. On herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of. It resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered greeks. With the dawn of the day of the battle of salamis in ch. The persians understood that the greek navy was the real enemy. The persian wars 1920 by herodotus, translated by a. According to herodotus, the athenians insist that their compatriots must send their fleets to salamis, a small island just opposite the athenian harbors. 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. 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. The battle was fought between an alliance of the greek city. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure to understand his words, and hence much misplaced editorial intervention. The author argues that herodotus relied on the persae far more heavily and in far more places than commonly admitted owing to herodotus thoroughgoing interpretation and revision of his source. After some careful source work, detecting bias, exaggeration and other historiographical questions, they were asked to write a written account of the battle.
Thus fared it with the persians who escorted the king to the strait. Thoughts on book eight of the histories of herodotus. In the cramped conditions of the straits, the great persian numbers were an active hindrance. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. When you get as far as the battle of salamis in book viii of herodotus. According to a story by herodotus that may or may not be true, the athenian admiral themistocles, pretending to be a friend of the persians, lured the enemy navy into the straits of salamis. For battling at sea in the strait is to our advantage, but in the open sea is to theirs. These are the forces which came to artemisium for battle, and i have now. And when night came, they scattered from the assembly and boarded their ships. Herodotus presents the battle as though it occurred directly after the capture. The battle was fought in the straits between the mainland and salamis.
The greek strategy rests on drawing the persians into a narrow strait where. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index. 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. Three rower was an ancient battle ship primarily used by mediterranean empires including the greeks, persians, and romans. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. As a result of subterfuge on the part of themistocles, the persian navy rowed into the straits of salamis and tried to block both entrances. The naval encounter that saved greece and western civilization is geared for the more general reader. Greek researcher, often called the worlds first historian. Nine days pass between the end of the fighting at artemisium and the arrival of the persian fleet at the bay of phalerum in attica 8. The battle of artemisium, or battle of artemision, was a series of naval engagements over three days during the second persian invasion of greece.
On herodotus s 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. And further, salamis shall escape, where our women and children have been kept safe by us. The history of the second persian war as presented in most of the. Salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. Barry strauss is a worldclass academic classicist, but the battle of salamis. Herodotus book also contains ethnographic descriptions of the peoples. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece. Athens put aside its pride and let sparta lead the army and the fleet, even though themistokles practically usurped the fleet commanders role. The battle of salamis was the first great and unexpected victory of the greeks over the persian forces under xerxes, whose defeat had important consequences for the subsequent history and selfimage of europe. The greek commander was the admiral of the small spartan squadron, a man named eurybiades. If thermopylae, the inspiring defeat, is the betterknown battle, salamis was an actual victory, won through superior greek tactics, in a venue where greeks feel particularly at home. Salamis according to herodotus on feb 8, 2017 jul 5, 2019 by arwen1968 in best stories of herodotus, maritime history. As the persians moved their forces to fight the greeks at artemisium it was the strategy of the greeks which ensured their victory. The athenians had to settle for a peloponnesian agreement that, after artemisium, the greek fleet would regroup at salamis rather than at a harbor at the isthmus.
While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way. This battle forms the centrepiece of book viii of herodotus histories. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt. The athenians believe that if they can defeat the persian navy, they can cripple the persian invasion. Histories 8 by herodotus meet your next favorite book. In its first logos, we witness the naval engagement on the sea between aphetae and artemisium. If the persians at the outset of the battle were occupying the ends of the whole strait between salamis and the mainland, it is not clear how the. The battle of salamis 77 munro, of oxford, who refers to my article and agrees with its general conclusions, while he rejects the opposing view as he deems it of herodotus. Herodotus demonstrably used aeschylus persae at various points in his account of the battle of salamis. The pivotal event of the history is the battle of marathon 490 bce, where the persians were defeated by the greeks. Suffice it to say that as soon as the news of leonidass death reached the peloponnesians, their armies, commanded by cleombrotus, leonidass brother, marched immediately to the isthmus and they were now engaged in building a defensive wall across it.
The hellenes 1 in salamis, when it was reported to them how things were around the acropolis of athens, came to great tumult such that some of the generals fell upon their ships and raised the sails to run away. 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. And now, the different chiefs, notwithstanding their skirmish of words. This great technological advancement was first documented c. Aegina set aside its longstanding feud with athens and proved to be one of the stars during the battle at salamis.
Chapter summary for herodotuss histories, book 8 the battle of salamis summary. The greek strategy at the battle of salamis 480 bce. N the course of book 8 of herodotus histories and after. Herodotus use of aeschylus persae as a source for the. The battle of salamis was the major turning point in the second persian invasion of greece. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle. Though herodotus does give some figures pertaining to the number of persian ships and sailors, these do seem far fetched. Once the athenian fleet and the other greek citystates that supplied ships arrived at the strait of salamis, which is between the attic peninsula and the island of salamis, they were faced with the stark reality that they were heavily outnumbered. The book also illuminates greek views of themselves and of peoples from the east, the the battle of salamis was the first great and unexpected victory of the greeks over the persian forces under xerxes, whose defeat had important consequences for the subsequent history. Herodotus describes the contingents and their numbers. The history of the second persian war as presented in most of the modern literature is solely based on herodotus histories. It took place on or about august 27, 479 bc on the slopes of mount mycale, on the coast of ionia, opposite the island of samos. Herodotus here holds up the story of the battle of salamis for a bit to describe the defences of the isthmus of corinth, the details of which we will reluctantly pass by 6. The next logos opens with a description of a serious quarrel between the greek admirals.
Within herodotus moral and political framework of interpretation, the battle of salamis was represented as a key, the only event that made the difference, that tipped the balance in favour of greekstyle political freedom and especially the sort of freedom that made possible his own original fearless, and by nomeans nationalistic brand of. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. The battle of salamis was a naval battle between greek and persian. This was especially vital since the greeks were hopelessly outnumbered. Xerxes ordered his fleet to take station outside the strait of salamis, waiting for the greek ships to defect, or to attempt escape.