The history of herodotus by herodotus the internet classics archive. Book seven of herodotus histories ended with a greek defeat, but in book eight we will hear about greek successes. Thoughts on book eight of the histories of herodotus. All quotes and spellings are from the landmark herodotus with translation by andrea l. Herodotus gives 378 ships of the alliance, but his numbers add up to 371. The greek strategy at the battle of salamis 480 bce.
On herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of. The battle of artemesium the histories of herodotus. Translated from tales from herodotus farnell and goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point. 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. Artemisias good fortune at the battle of salamis introduction. Farnell and goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point. In its first logos, we witness the naval engagement on the sea between aphetae and artemisium. This account of the battle of salamis by a history professor who is an expert on naval warfare with a gift for vivid narrative brings it, in all its suspense, its complications, its surprises and its cast of extraordinary characters, to fervent and turbulent life. Histories book 9 the battle of plataea summary course hero. This site provides a good summary of the battle itself.
Site of the battle of salamis xerxes is said to have erected a throne on mt. The greeks at salamis learn that xerxes is in athens. The sicilian historian diodorus siculus, writing in the 1st century bc in his bibliotheca historica, also provides an account of the battle of mykale, derived directly from the earlier greek historian ephorus. The pivotal event of the history is the battle of marathon 490 bce, where the persians were defeated by the greeks. By 480 the persian king xerxes and his army had overrun much of greece, and. Thus, artemisia was fearless in speaking her mind and brave in battle, but still a survivor in the latter. A strait is a narrow channel of water between two pieces of land. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index. The greek strategy rests on drawing the persians into a narrow strait where. Although the persian host had suffered setbacks, delays and even minor reversals at thermopylae and.
When you get as far as the battle of salamis in book viii of herodotus. The battle of salamis the journal of hellenic studies. After some careful source work, detecting bias, exaggeration and other historiographical questions, they were asked to write a written account of the battle. The battle of artemisium, or battle of artemision, was a series of naval engagements over three days during the second persian invasion of greece. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. The history of the second persian war as presented in most of the. Herodotus s account of the battle resembles a staring contest. Xerxes, who came to the throne in 485, executed another invasion of greece on an. However, herodotus narration seems to contain several unrealistic elements which raise doubts about the actual strategy of the greek alliance. 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.
She had her enemies, which herodotus mentioned when she spoke before salamis. Ten years after the defeat of the persians at marathon in 490 b. Xerxes, who came to the throne in 485, executed another invasion of greece on an enormous scale by both land and sea. Literature study guides histories book 8 the battle of salamis summary. According to herodotus, the athenians insist that their compatriots must send their fleets to salamis, a small island just opposite the athenian harbors. 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 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. View more articles from transactions of the american philological association 18691896. The athenians act like this, because they do not trust the spartans, who had promised to send an.
Salamis was not such a battle and artemisia seemed to know when to flee at all costs, receiving no criticism from herodotus. 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. Find a summary of this and each chapter of histories. The greek commander was the admiral of the small spartan squadron, a man named eurybiades. Chapter summary for herodotus s histories, book 8 the battle of salamis summary. The history of the second persian war as presented in most of the modern literature is solely based on herodotus histories. I wanted to cover topics surrounding the battle of salamis for which im limiting to paragraphs 55 through 112 in book eight. Chapter summary for herodotuss histories, book 8 the battle of salamis summary. Greeks debate their desperate situation 582, surrounded by the enemy at salamis. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle. As part of their assessable work, my senior students were asked to look at herodotus, plutarch and aeschylus accounts of the battle of salamis.
Themistocles advocates battle at salamis rather than isthmus of corinth artemisia tries to stop mardonius from wasting his ships in battle. When the captains from these various nations were come together at salamis. The battle of salamis was a naval battle between greek and persian. And now, the different chiefs, notwithstanding their skirmish of words. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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 in the following. 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. It resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered greeks. But the peloponnesians, who were itching to get back closer to home, did not promise to actually fight a battle at salamis. 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. This interpretation, however, does not accord with herodotus understanding of the oracle. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle off salamis. The battle of salamis was the major turning point in the second persian invasion of greece. 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. The greek strategy rests on drawing the persians into a narrow strait where they cannot bring their numbers. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece. Both armies are following the words of their oracles, who suggest that the army.
The athenian fleet of ships lured the persian fleet into the strait of salamis sa luh muhs, near athens. Thus fared it with the persians who escorted the king to the strait. 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. 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 battle was fought in the straits between the mainland and salamis. They believe, then, that the oracle refers to the midnight position of the persian fleet when its formation extended from off cape cynosoura to munychia. Thus it came to pass that the greeks stayed at euboea and there gave battle to the enemy. In this article we present an alternative interpretation of herodotus story by using the information derived from an. They did not however think it wise to make straight for the greek station, lest the enemy.
This battle forms the centrepiece of book viii of herodotus histories. However, it was strategically not necessary for the persians to actually fight this battle at salamis. Artemisias exploits in the battle of salamis are more famous than most because herodotus says that he cannot relay many other exploits but hers. The next logos opens with a description of a serious quarrel between the greek admirals. The battle of salamis the aftermath and the macedonians. Salamis according to herodotus page 2 waterblogged. It marked the highpoint of the second persian invasion of greece which had begun in 480 b. While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way.
With the dawn of the day of the battle of salamis in ch. They did not however think it wise to make straight for the greek station, lest the. 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. These are the forces which came to artemisium for battle, and i have now. 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. According to herodotus, queen artemisia of caria pointed this out to xerxes in the runup to salamis.
Salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west 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, 480 bc, battle in the grecopersian wars in which a greek fleet defeated much larger persian naval forces in the straits at salamis, between the island of salamis and the athenian portcity of piraeus. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. The greeks hoped this move would give them an advantage in battle. The battle of salamis the histories of herodotus excerpt. The book also illuminates greek views of themselves and of peoples from the east, the problematic relationships. Herodotus book also contains ethnographic descriptions of the peoples. Salamis according to herodotus on feb 8, 2017 jul 5, 2019 by arwen1968 in best stories of herodotus, maritime history. Histories book 8 the battle of salamis summary course hero. In this battle only one of the greeks who fought on the side of the king deserted. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt. 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.
There the greeks, sparked by fear and indecisiveness, conduct successive discussions about. He gives an account of the battle of mycale in book nine of his histories. 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. The spartans heroic stand gave themistocles time to carry out his plan to attack persias ships. The battle of salamis was fought between an alliance of greek citystates and the persian empire in september 480 b. The artemisia of herodotus was complex historian on the. His land forces marched down the northern coasts of the aegean sea and down into greece by way of thessaly.