Download The Battle of Salamis

The Battle of Salamis
Leading up to the Battle of
Salamis
• The Greeks slowed down the Persian invasion at the Battle of
Thermopylae
• Leonidas, his 300 Spartans and about a 1,000 allied troops
fight to the death
• The Persians continue to push south and invade Athens
• Athenians are evacuated to the island of Salamis before the
Persian Army arrives
• The Greek Navy led by Themistocles is guarding the island and
the Athenian People
Decisive Naval Battle
Persian Navy
vs.
Greek City-State Navy (led by Athens)
Date: 480 B.C.E.
Location: In the Saronic Gulf (in between the Island of Salamis and
Mainland Greece, near Athens)
Tale of the Tape
Persian Empire
Greek City-States
Control over the Middle East, Africa,
and Asia.
180 ships from Athens, 40 from
Corinth, 20 from Megara, 16 from
Sparta, and a few other city-states
adding naval boats
600-800 Naval Boats from the Persian
Empire
Led by Xerxes
Total Naval Boats between all the
Greek city-states: 375 Trireme (Naval
Boats)
Led by Themistocles
Trireme
Events leading up to the Battle of
Salamis
• A few months back, the Greeks led by Leonidas and his 300
Spartans were defeated at Thermopylae
• The Persian Army led by the Immortals (elite soldiers)
continued to push South to Athens and burned the city to the
ground.
• The city of Athens had time to evacuate and almost all of the
Athenians were transported by boat to the island of Salamis
before the Persians arrived.
Herodotus
• Leading historian who writes about the Persian Wars
• Also wrote the ancient 7 wonders of the world
• A lot of what we know today about the Persian Wars comes
from Herodotus “Father of History” and Plutarch (another
leading historian who wrote about the Persian Wars 500 years
later)
A trap was set
• Themistocles (commander of the Greek forces) sent a
captured slave of Xerxes to his camp saying that he would
switch sides and fight with the Persians
• He also stated that if they wanted to attack only half the
Greek Triremes were in the strait (narrow body of water)
between Mainland Greece and Salamis ready for battle.
• It was a trick to lure the Persian Navy into this narrow channel
and it worked!
Events at the Battle of Salamis
-As the Persians approached the narrow Channel, the Greek Navy
retreated.
-Thinking they would be able to win a quick easy victory, the
Persians continued moving their navy through the channel.
-The Persians were surrounded and Greece began ramming the
Persian boats from all sides
Outcome
• The Greeks destroyed the Persian Navy at Salamis destroying
300 ships.
• Greece only lost about 40 triremes.
• This was a decisive victory for the Greeks and a devastating
blow to the Persian Navy.
• With the Persian Navy this depleted, the thought of ending
this campaign and a conquest of Greece was near.
After Salamis
-Xerxes panics and flees back to Persepolis (modern day Iran)
-Leaves his 2nd in command general Mardonius to finish off the
Greeks
-The Second Persian War (481-479 BCE)
–Mardonius and a large Persian army winters in Thebes
New Vocab/Important Figures to
add
• Hippias- Last King of Athens before it became a Democracy.
He is at the Battle of Marathon on the side of the Persians.
• Ephialtes- Greek Traitor who told Xerxes about the secret goat
trail at Thermopylae
• Traitor- someone who betrays their people
• Conscription- The practice of ordering people by law to serve
in the military. Throughout history, conquered groups would
have to do this or some countries/groups would have a draft
of their own people.
•
Battle of Plataea
-Both sides had amassed huge armies. Almost every city in
Greece had sent soldiers to support the effort, and in total they
numbered approximately 60,000 hoplites and 20,000 light
infantry. Herodotus claims their Persian opponents numbered 1.7
million (probably 300,000)
-Plataea was a series of battles that last around 13 days
Aftermath
• The Battle of Plataea(Spring, 479 BCE) after a long and hard-fought
battle, the Greeks won and Mardonius was killed
• As with all Greek battles, the loot was collected, trophies erected
and funeral rites performed for the dead. Thebes, who had
switched sides and joined the Persians, held out for several weeks
after Plataea before finally surrendering.
• Most of the Persians were slaughtered and Xerxes would never
again try and invade mainland Greece
Last two major battles
Battle of Salamis
• 480 B.C.E.
• Greek City-States led by
Athens vs. Persian Empire
• Naval Battle
• Themistocles vs. Xerxes
• Tricks Persians into the
narrow strait near the island
of Salamis
• Great Greek Victory
• 300 Persian Ships destroyed
• 40 Greek Ships destroyed
Battle of Plataea
• Spring of 479 B.C.E.
• Lasted 13 days
• Greek city-states (80,000)led by
Sparta vs. Persian Empire
(300,000) and Thebes
• Mardonius led the Persian Army
and is defeated and killed.
• Most of the Persian Army killed
• Ends the Persian Wars
• Greece would never again be
invaded by the Persian Empire