What was the strategy Athens used to win the naval battle at Salamis?
What was the strategy Athens used to win the naval battle at Salamis?
Although heavily outnumbered, the Greek Allies were persuaded by the Athenian general Themistocles to bring the Persian fleet to battle again, in the hope that a victory would prevent naval operations against the Peloponnese….Battle of Salamis.
| Date | 26 or 27 September, 480 BC |
|---|---|
| Territorial changes | Persia fails to conquer the Peloponnese |
How did Themistocles use good strategy to win the battle of Salamis?
Themistocles sweetened the deal by promising to defect once battle was joined and attack the other Greeks with the whole Athenian fleet. The narrow confines of the bay would prevent the Persian fleet from using its numerical advantage so the superior Greek seamanship and proficiency in ship boarding would win the day.
What made the Battle of Salamis unique?
The Battle of Salamis was a great victory for the Greek navy and, in combination with a victory by the Greek army at the Battle of Plataea the next year, led to the complete defeat of the Persians. Many historians cite the Battle of Salamis as one of the most important battles in human history.
What kind of strategy did the Greeks use during the Persian War?
The Greeks kept a line abreast as if their ships were a phalanx, operating as a group and preventing the Persians from outflanking them. The Persian ships reportedly operated independently and attacked in piecemeal. Needless to say, the Athenian fleet did not defect. The Persian fleet was mauled and routed.
What was the Greeks battle strategy?
The most successful strategy on the ancient battlefield was using hoplites in a tight formation called the phalanx. Each man protected both himself and partially his neighbour with his large circular shield, carried on his left arm.
What type of battle was Salamis?
naval battle
The Battle of Salamis was a naval battle between Greek and Persian forces in the Saronic Gulf, Greece in September 480 BCE. The Greeks had recently lost the Battle of Thermopylae and drawn the naval Battle at Artemision, both in August 480 BCE, as King Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE) and his Persian army went on the rampage.
Who won the battle of Salamis?
Battle of Salamis, (480 bc), battle in the Greco-Persian 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 port-city of Piraeus.
How did the battle of Salamis change the Persian Wars?
One of the great naval battles in history, Salamis saw the out-numbered Greeks best a larger Persian fleet. The campaign had witnessed the Greeks pushed south and Athens captured. Regrouping, the Greeks were able to lure the Persian fleet into the narrow waters around Salamis which negated their numerical advantage.
How did Greeks win Salamis?
The Greeks faced off against the Persians in a narrow strait west of the island of Salamis. The battle lasted for 12 hours, but at the end, the Greeks were victorious. It was likely the Greek army’s smaller, more manoeuvrable boats that gave them the advantage in the narrow waters around Salamis.
What Polis had the strongest navy?
Sparta was leader of an alliance of independent states that included most of the major land powers of the Peloponnese and central Greece, as well as the sea power Corinth. Thus, the Athenians had the stronger navy and the Spartans the stronger army.
What formation did the Greeks fight in?
The phalanx
The phalanx (Ancient Greek: φάλαγξ; plural phalanxes or phalanges, φάλαγγες, phalanges) was a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, sarissas, or similar pole weapons.
What was the Greek strategy in the Battle of Salamis?
Battle of SalamisGreek Tactics/Organization In the roaring waters near Salamis, the Greek fleet laid anchor, as the Persian fleet arrived and closed off the Greek retreat, keeping them in straights between Salamis and Attica. At the same time, the Peloponnesians were building a wall to prevent the advance of the Persian army. A naval…
Why did the Persians try to block the Straits of Salamis?
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. In the cramped conditions of the Straits, the great Persian numbers were an active hindrance, as ships struggled to maneuver and became disorganized.
Where was the Achaemenid fleet in the Battle of Salamis?
The Achaemenid fleet (in red) entered from the east (right) and confronted the Greek fleet (in blue) within the confines of the strait. The Allied fleet now rowed from Artemisium to Salamis to assist with the final evacuation of Athens.
Why was Xerxes interested in the Battle of Salamis?
The Persian king Xerxes was also eager for a decisive battle. As a result of subterfuge on the part of Themistocles (which included a message directly sent to Xerxes letting him know that much of the Greek fleet was stationed at Salamis), the Persian navy rowed into the Straits of Salamis and tried to block both entrances.