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Lecture 13 Persian Wars III: Salamis and Plataea 3/4/2012 Lecture 13 Persian Wars III: Salamis and Plataea HIST 332 Spring 2012 Persian advances after Thermopylae • population of Attica evacuate to Peloponnesus • Xerxes enters Athens unopposed – burns it to the ground in revenge for Sardis • Persian fleet at Phaleron • Greek fleet at Salamis • Xerxes sets up his throne on a bluff over the Bay of Salamis to watch the final destruction of resistance Themistocles c. 524–459 BCE • name means “Glory of the Law” • convinced the Athenians to build triremes with silver found at Laurion • Navarch of Artemesia and Salamis • ostracized by Athens in 472 BCE – flees to Argos • Spartans (falsely) implicated him a plot – flees to Ionia – Seeks protection by Persian king Artaxerxes I – made satrap of Magnesia 1 3/4/2012 Battle of Salamis (Sept. 23 480 BCE) • ~366 Allied ships • ~800-600 ships – Athens 180 – Phoenicians – Corinth 40 – Egyptians – Aegina 30 – Ionian Greeks – Allies (remainder) Hellenic Ships at Salamis Number Number Number City City City of ships of ships of ships Athens 180 Corinth 40 Aegina 30 Chalcis 20 Megara 20 Sparta 16 Sicyon 15 Epidaurus 10 Eretria 7 Ambracia 7 Troezen 5 Naxos 4 Leucas 3 Hermione 3 Styra 2 Cythnus 1 (1) Ceos 2 Melos (2) Siphnus (1) Serifos (1) Croton 1 Total 366 or 378 (5) Persian Ships at Salamis According to Herodotus, the Persian fleet initially numbered 1,207 triremes • loses before Salamis – ~400 in storm at Magnesia – ~200 storm off coast of Euboea • Herodotus claims these were replenished before battle • The number 1207 is recorded early in the historical record as the number that set out from Ionia • modern est. place # of Persian ships at ~600-800 2 3/4/2012 Deception on the part of Themistocles Themistocles sends word to Xerxes • Greek sailors who claim to defect from the Greek fleet tell the King that the Greeks plan to slip out of the Gulf of Salamis during the night – Persians spend the entire night patrolling the straights – Themistocles tells his crews to get a good night’s sleep • At dawn, the Greeks prepare their battle plan and advance in the deepest part of the gulf and await the Persians. 3 3/4/2012 Aeschylus records the Greek battle paean Ὦ παῖδες Ἑλλήνων ἴτε, Forward, sons of the Greeks, ἐλευθεροῦτε πατρίδ', Liberate the fatherland, ἐλευθεροῦτε δὲπαῖδας, Liberate your children, your γυναῖκας, women, θεῶν τζ πατρῴων ἕδη, The altars of the gods of θήκας τε προγόνων: your fathers, νῦν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἁγών. And the graves of your ancestors: Now is the fight for everything. Themistocles sends false info to Xerxes - tells crews to rest - Persian crews up all night patrolling 4 3/4/2012 The Battle Details of the battle are sketchy • Triremes were generally armed with a large ram at the front – If the initial ramming was not successful, something similar to a land battle ensued • Both sides had marines on their ships for this eventuality; – the Greeks with fully armed hoplites and Persians probably with more lightly armed infantry. The Battle • first line of Persian ships was pushed back by the Greeks – Persians became fouled in the advancing second and third lines of their own ships • On the Greek left, the Persian admiral Ariabagnes was killed early in the battle; – brother of Xerxes – left Persians disorganized and leaderless • The Phoenician squadrons appear to have been pushed back against the coast – many vessels running aground • A wedge of Greek ships pushed through the center of the Persians lines – splitting the fleet in two. Artemisia: queen of Halicarnassus Commander of Carian squadron • found herself perused by Greek ship • she attacked a Persian ship to escape and confuse the Greek ship • Xerxes sees her ship successfully attack a ship (thinking it in enemy) and said: – “My men have become women, and my women men” (Herodotus VIII.88) Alabaster jar, from Xerxes to queen Artemisia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVmYxlxaZAM British Museum 5 3/4/2012 Battle of Salamis: Victory for Greeks • Reasons for Greek Victory: – Heavier Greek trireme better suited for narrow channel – Persian ships crowded and lighter – Persian forces “heart not in it” • Persians could not continue campaign without naval logistics – forces return to Asia – leave smaller force of 50,000 led by Mardonius Story of Artemisia after Salamis • Artemisia convinced Xerxes to retreat back to Asia Minor after the defeat at Salamis – contrary to the advice of Mardonius, who wanted Xerxes to stay. • Xerxes then sent her to Ephesus to take care of his sons. • In return, Artemisia’s lands did well by their alliance with the Persians. Lord Byron, Don Juan A king sate on the rocky brow Which looks o'er sea-born Salamis And ships, by thousands, lay below, And men in nations;—all were his! He counted them at break of day— And when the sun set where were they? 6 3/4/2012 Persians: Greeks: • General: Mardonius • General: Pausanius (Sparta) • 40,000 infantry • 38,700 infantry • 10,000 cavalry (Herodotus) • Strong position on field • strong position on field • running low on water • running low on water Battle of Plataea (479) Stages of the battle For a week no battle, then 1 Persian cut supply lines 2 Greeks feign a retreat 3 Greek wings drifted apart over night – Spartans on Right: Athenians on left 4 entices Persians to advance into poor terrain 5 Corinthians move in to fill the gap 6 Persians fight bravely against Spartans 7 Mardonius killed and Persians forces break 8 10,000 Persians dead: 1,360 Greeks 7 3/4/2012 Battle of Plataea Phase I Phase II Significance of Plataea • Persia would never again threaten Greece – Rest of army retreats as civil war breaks out • Gave psychological boost to Greeks • Victory inspired achievement in arts and science • indicated (to the Greeks) that the polis was the superior political and military system – differences in poleis would cause problems later Serpent Column • Bronze column made from melted arms of Persians after Plataea • Twin snakes • Erected at Delphi • Currently stands in the Hippodrome in Istanbul – Carried by Constantine the Great to dedicate his new capital Constantinople 8 .
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