Herodotus the persian wars godleybook viii wikisource, the. After some careful source work, detecting bias, exaggeration and other historiographical questions, they were asked to write a written account of the battle. Chapter summary for herodotuss histories, book 8 the battle of salamis summary. Thoughts on book eight of the histories of herodotus. It was a constructional development bireme with 50 oars, adding architecturally without increasing its maximum height a line of oars.
For other uses, see battle of salamis disambiguation. Themistocles account of the battle of salamis ancient generals. 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. Salamis a battle that defined history for centuries to come. According to herodotus, the athenians insist that their compatriots must send their fleets to salamis, a small island just opposite the athenian harbors. But, as they found that they prevailed nothing, they left him and went to themistocles, the athenian commander. 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. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure. Chapter summary for herodotus s histories, book 8 the battle of salamis summary. The battle of salamis was the major turning point in the second persian invasion of greece.
Themistocles even participated in the battle of marathon, as he was one of the ten generals involved. This chapter shows that thucydides, since he was covering other periods of themistocles life than herodotus, simply did not have the opportunity decisively to refute his predecessors portrait. This battle forms the centrepiece of book viii of herodotus histories. The athenians asked for this because they wanted to evacuate their children to salamis with the persian army threatening attica. This answer seemed, as indeed it was, gentler than the former one. Yet shall a day arrive when ye shall meet him in battle.
Greek, roman, and byzantine studies 53 20 461485 20 vasiliki zali themistocles exhortation before salamis. Histories book 8 the battle of salamis summary course hero. 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. The naval encounter that saved greece and western civilization kindle edition by strauss, barry. Themistocles had means to force his allies into battle at salamis. The battle of salamis the histories of herodotus excerpt. N the course of book 8 of herodotus histories and after the battle at artemisium. The greek commander was the admiral of the small spartan squadron, a man named eurybiades. Find a summary of this and each chapter of histories. Ten years after the defeat of the persians at marathon in 490 b.
Nov 25, 2016 as an evaluative point, i would like to reinforce herodotus characterization of themistocles. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure to understand his words, and hence much misplaced. This battle forms the centrepiece of book viii of herodotus. Themistocles father, neocles, came of the aristocratic lycomid family and was not poor, but his mother. Pharaoh, by boleslaw prus, incorporating the labyrinth scenes inspired by herodotus description in book ii of the histories. The battle of salamis was the first popular book written by strauss, and it well deserves the praise often heaped on it. Aug 24, 2012 translated from tales from herodotus farnell and goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point. Themistocles had his fleet, and the construction of the piraeus port was nearing completion. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle off salamis. The book also illuminates greek views of themselves and of peoples from the east, the problematic relationships between different greek states in the face of the invasion, and the role of the divine in history. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus by.
Artemisia of caria also known as artemisia i was the queen of. The athenians act like this, because they do not trust the spartans, who had promised to send an. There the greeks, sparked by fear and indecisiveness, conduct successive discussions about. Historical novels sourcing material from herodotus. Holy salamis, thou shalt destroy the offspring of women, when men scatter the seed, or when they gather the harvest. Herodotus credits themistocles with many of the triumphs that follow. Feb 08, 2017 salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. Themistocles has a tougher time with the other naval leaders, and only convinces them to stay and fight by threatening that the athenians will take their fleet, head.
Thoughts on book eight of the histories of herodotus first. With the dawn of the day of the battle of salamis in ch. Salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. Although the persian host had suffered setbacks, delays and even minor reversals at thermopylae and. 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. Sihler, on herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of salamis, transactions of the american philological association 8 1877. Piraeus history, themistocles and the battle of salamis.
Dec 23, 2015 the battle of salamis was the major turning point in the second persian invasion of greece. But, as they found that they prevailed nothing, they left him and went to themistocles, the athenian commander, to whom they gave a bribe of thirty talents, on his promise that the fleet should remain. As part of their assessable work, my senior students were asked to look at herodotus, plutarch and aeschylus accounts of the battle of salamis. The battle of salamis still plays a role in greek national and european consciousness, because at that time a collection of independently operating citystates achieved a degree of. Herodotus book also contains ethnographic descriptions of the peoples. Farnell and goff provide a synopsis of the events to this point. Book seven of herodotus histories ended with a greek defeat, but in book eight we will hear about greek successes. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the battle of salamis. Themistocles was an extremely well known general and admiral during the persian wars. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle. Urania,87when the affairs of the king had come to great confusion. The artemisia of herodotus was complex historian on the.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Themistocles account of the battle of salamis ancient. 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. Although the persian host had suffered setbacks, delays and even minor reversals at. Themistocles even participated in the battle of marathon, as he was one of the ten generals involved with the battle and stopping the persians from invading greece. The battle of salamis the aftermath and the macedonians. If the core of the text is authentic, it proves that themistocles knew quite early that he would set a trap for the invaders at salamis. In its first logos, we witness the naval engagement on the sea between aphetae and artemisium. The battle of salamis was a naval battle between greek and persian. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure to understand his words, and hence much misplaced editorial intervention.
The artemisia of herodotus was complex april, 2015 april 12. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval. Chapter summary for herodotuss histories, book 8 the battle of artemisium summary. Themistocles, however, picked out the seaworthiest athenian ships and. But, as they found that they prevailed nothing, they left him and went to themistocles, the athenian commander, to whom they gave a bribe of thirty talents, on his promise that the fleet should remain and risk a battle in defence of euboea. Salamis an island just southeast of athens was, of course, barry strauss is a master of the you are there style of popular historical writing. Tarn, the fleet of xerxes, the journal of hellenic studies 28 1908. The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. By recounting the events thucydides presents in his first book, when themistocles betrays the spartans over the building of the athenian walls, he shows. Aug 17, 2016 themistocles had his fleet, and the construction of the piraeus port was nearing completion. To bring about this battle, themistocles used a cunning mix of subterfuge and misinformation, psychologically exploiting xerxess desire to finish the invasion. 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. Salamis according to herodotus page 2 waterblogged. Themistocles project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks.
At that time he made answer mildly to the corinthian. Book 8, the battle of artemisium summary course hero. Jun 29, 2004 the battle of salamis was the first popular book written by strauss, and it well deserves the praise often heaped on it. At the battle of salamis, we encounter firsthand the intellect and courage of themistocles, now the commander of the greek allied fleet. The battle of salamis was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek city states under. The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive.
Sihler, on herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of salamis, transactions of. Artemisias good fortune at the battle of salamis introduction. In its first logos, we witness the naval engagement on the sea between aphetae and artemisi. Salamis an island just southeast of athens was, of course, barry. 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.
By recounting the events thucydides presents in his first book, when themistocles betrays the spartans over the building of the athenian walls, he shows that themistocles was a pragmatic, if at times, cynical and expedient leader. For more than a century thucydides eulogy on themistocles has been interpreted as a classic revision of herodotus, who allegedly defamed the victor of salamis. These are the forces which came to artemisium for battle, and i have now shown how. The next logos opens with a description of a serious quarrel between the greek admirals.
During this, aristides came over from egina to salamis. This was the way whereby themistocles made the greeks to stay. Now, he would test the resolve and courage of his fellow allies in battle at salamis. 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. Xerxess actions indicate that he was keen to finish the conquest of greece in 480 bc, and to do this, he needed a decisive victory over the allied fleet. The greek strategy at the battle of salamis 480 bce. 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 battle of salamis was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek citystates under.
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