The Battle of Salamis, Plataea and the end of the Persian Wars

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. 600-800 Naval Boats from the Persian Empire Led by Xerxes 180 ships from Athens, 40 from Corinth, 20 from Megara, 16 from Sparta, and a few other city-states adding naval boats 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 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 400 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 Trireme’s 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 480 B.C.E. Battle of Salamis Battle of Plataea 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 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