Chapter summary for herodotus s histories, book 9 the battle of plataea summary. 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 of classical studies in 18821883. The histories of herodotus is considered the founding work of history in western literature. The terrain of the battlefield was nothing that xerxes and his forces were accustomed to.
The internet classics archive the history of herodotus. Histories book 9 the battle of plataea summary course hero. The greek strategy at the battle of salamis 480 bce. Gyges, ardys, sadyattes ii, alyattes and finally, his son croesus who we look at in some detail. Artemisias good fortune at the battle of salamis introduction.
Salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. 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. 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. 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 was fought in the straits between the mainland and salamis, an island in the saronic gulf near athens, and marked the highpoint of. The battle of salamis the aftermath and the macedonians. The battle was fought in the straits between the mainland and.
The history of herodotus by herodotus, part of the internet classics archive. Some submitted to persia thinking they wouldnt get hurt. Book eight battle of artemision, athens abandoned, battle of salamis 1 the fleet consisted of the following greek contingents. Herodotus and the persian wars utah state university. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. Herodotus the histories, book 7, polymnia 8239 battle of thermopylae. According to herodotus, the athenians insist that their compatriots must send their fleets to salamis, a small island just opposite the athenian harbors. The pivotal event of the history is the battle of marathon 490 bce, where the persians were defeated by the greeks. The naval campaign that saved greece william shepherd, peter dennis on.
Thus, artemisia was fearless in speaking her mind and brave in battle, but still a survivor in the latter. The battle of salamis was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek citystates under. Overwhelmingly outnumbered by the enemy, the greeks triumphed through a combination of strategy and deception. Xerxes, who came to the throne in 485, executed another invasion of greece on an enormous scale by both land and sea. And when night came, they scattered from the assembly and boarded their ships. The persians entered the narrows of salamis, where themistocles had insisted the greeks should be stationed, themistocles. This battle forms the centrepiece of book viii of herodotus histories. A few months back, the greeks led by leonidas and his 300 spartans were defeated at thermopylae. 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. The battle of salamis was the first popular book written by strauss, and it well deserves the praise often heaped on it. She had her enemies, which herodotus mentioned when she spoke before salamis. The greek commander was the admiral of the small spartan squadron, a man named eurybiades. Herodotus, the histories, book 1, chapter 1, section 0.
The battle of salamis was a naval battle between greek and persian forces in. The athenians provided 127 ships, with crews of plataeans as well as athenians. Artemisias exploits in the battle of salamis are more famous than most because herodotus says that he cannot relay many other exploits but hers. Themistocles advocates battle at salamis rather than isthmus of corinth artemisia tries to stop mardonius from wasting his ships in battle. The persian army led by the immortals elite soldiers continued to push south to athens and burned the city to the ground. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. 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. Indepth analysis, coupled with florid storytelling based partly on new archeological evidence would be a great addition to the bookshelves of. These are the forces which came to artemisium for battle, and i have now shown how. 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 of salamis was a naval battle fought between an alliance of greek city states under. There the greeks, sparked by fear and indecisiveness, conduct successive discussions about the most suitable location to face the persian invaders.
He therefore decided to remain, and give battle at salamis. Salamis according to herodotus page 2 waterblogged. On herodotuss and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of. He returned to athens and tried to persuade his fellow citizens to leave their city temporarily. 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. With the dawn of the day of the battle of salamis in ch. Ospreys study of a crucial battle of the grercopersian wars 499449 bc. Weeks after the glorious disaster at thermopylae and heavy but inconclusive fighting at sea off artemisium. Find a summary of this and each chapter of histories. Salamis according to herodotus on feb 8, 2017 jul 5, 2019 by arwen1968 in best stories of herodotus, maritime history salamis an island in the saronic gulf in the aegean sea, opposite mount aigaleo, 16 kilometres west of athens. While they all knew it was coming, they didnt see it in the same way. The histories by herodotus, volume 1 complete audio book duration.
And now, the different chiefs, notwithstanding their skirmish of words. Greeks debate their desperate situation 582, surrounded by the enemy at salamis. The battle of salamis is one of the major turning points of european history, and one of. Gates of fire, by stephen pressfield, has the battle of thermopylae book vii as its centrepiece. Pharaoh, by boleslaw prus, incorporating the labyrinth scenes inspired by herodotus description in book ii of the histories. The greeks won at salamis, one of the greatest and most significant military victories in antiquity. The artemisia of herodotus was complex historian on the. Histories book 8 the battle of salamis summary course hero. On herodotus s and aeschyluss accounts of the battle of salamis is an article from transactions of the american philological association 18691896, volume 8.
In this, herodotus accounts xerxes hasty retreat after salamis in fear of the greek fleet while leaving his army behind. Book seven of herodotus histories ended with a greek defeat, but in book eight we will hear about greek successes. Herodotus the histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle off salamis. 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 fact, herodotus account of the battle, in book vii of his histories, is such an important. An unfortunate result of his more elaborately worked writing has been failure to understand his words, and hence much misplaced editorial intervention. The athenians try to convince the other greeks to marshal their naval strength at salamis. The history of herodotus, parallel englishgreek index. Battle of salamis project gutenberg selfpublishing.
Eight years later, he wove his experiences into his second extant drama, the. View more articles from transactions of the american philological association 18691896. Herodotus and the dating of the battle of thermopylae volume 26 issue 2 kenneth s. The battle of salamis, by barry strauss indepthinfo. 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. It marked the highpoint of the second persian invasion of greece, which had begun that spring. Ten years after the defeat of the persians at marathon in 490 b. Xerxes once more rejects good advice, but this time it comes from one of the rare women in the narrative, queen artemisia of halicarnassus.
Creation, by gore vidal, interpreting many scenes from the persian viewpoint. The next logos opens with a description of a serious quarrel between the greek admirals. Our chief sources of knowledlge concerning the battle of salamis are aeschylus, persians, 345 ff. The details of the rest of the battle are generally sketchy, and no one involved would have had a view of the entire battlefield. The battle of salamis monroe township school district. Salamis a battle that defined history for centuries to come. Urania,87when the affairs of the king had come to great confusion, at this crisis.
But the peloponnesians, who were itching to get back closer to home, did not promise to actually fight a battle at salamis. 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. In spite of the groundbreaking work of herodotus, a new book, focusing on the battle of salamis, is certainly in order. Thoughts on book eight of the histories of herodotus. Herodotus describes the contingents and their numbers. Herodotus and the persian wars the organization of herodotus histories is discursive main thrust. Greek, roman, and byzantine studies 53 20 461485 20 vasiliki zali themistocles exhortation before salamis. This expedition against athens threatened all of greece.
When the athenians learned this, they asked the fleet to put in at salamis. Herodotus in his histories 440430 bce compiles precise lists but these. Herodotus and the dating of the battle of thermopylae. Themistocles refused to accept the abandonment of the fight. 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. The battle of thermopylae was fought between an alliance of greek citystates, led by king. The greek commanders hold a council of war, at which themistocles, master. Book viii deals with the second persian war, and chapters 8396 deal. The battle of salamis was a naval battle between greek and persian. Salamis was not such a battle and artemisia seemed to know when to flee at all costs, receiving no criticism from herodotus. Herodotus counts by generations, for example the kings of the mermnads dynasty, ruling from c. The histories, book 8, urania 4096 naval battle off salamis. Herodotus book also contains ethnographic descriptions of the. The history of the second persian war as presented in most of the.
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