Battles of Salamis and Plataea

The Battles of Salamis and Plataea

Salamis, a city on an island off the southwestern coast of central Greece where there was a narrow channel of water between the island and the mainland, was to be the final stand for the Athenians.

Knowing that winter would soon be arriving, King Xerxes decided on a naval assault on the remaining Athenians and their naval forces stationed at Salamis. The Persian naval fleet were lessened somewhat thanks to a storm, but still a larger force than the Greeks. King Xerxes himself had a throne upon a cliffside to watch the naval battle as it happened.

The Athenian general Themistocles lured the Persian navy into the channel between the island and the mainland with a ruse. As the navy entered the narrow channel, they could only enter in three at a time, causing even the size advantage of the Persians to be of little help.

After the Persians advanced, the Greek navy attacked, surrounding the front of the Persian navy and causing confusion within them. With little room for the Persians to manuever, the front lines started to retreat from the ambush, only to cause the ranks behind them to ram the retreating ranks! Other ships were run aground or rammed by the Greek navy as they attacked. The Persian navy suffered heavy losses and was utterly defeated by the tactical Greeks.

King Xerxes, upon seeing his great defeat at Salamis, headed back to Persia with what was left of his navy and part of his army.

Xerxes was not done with Greece, though. He may have left to return to Persia, but he left behind a sizable force, including cavalry, under the command of the Persian general Mardonius. With winter approaching, the remaining Persian army withdrew from Athens after burning all that could be burned and settled in central Greece to spend the winter. The whole Greek army, numbering about 39,000 men, rallied up from Corinth, joining up with the remaining Athenian army to chase the remaining Persians from Greece. The battlefield was to be at the city of Plataea, in the spring of 479 BC. The well trained Spartans fought strongly and withstood the charge of the Persians. The bravery and discipline of the Greek army eventually defeated the Persians, killing Mardonius and most of his army.

Victorious and free, the Greeks were able to drive the largest empire of the time out of their country not once, but twice! Never again did a Persian king send an army or navy to Greece.