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Ancient Military Disasters 9 3. Salamis Date: ­ circa late September, 480 BCE Location: Aegean Littoral OPPONENTS 1. Athens and allied Greek states Commanders: Themistocles (Athens)/Eurybaides (Sparta) 2. Persian Empire Commanders: Xerxes (overall), and four admirals, including Queen Artemisia of Halicarnassus and Xerxes’s half-­ brother Ariabignes (Ariaramnes) BACKGROUND The ­ Battle of Salamis occurred during the campaign of the Persian king Xerxes against the Greeks in 480 BCE. Initially, the Persians had an overwhelming advantage—­ perhaps up to three times as many ships as the Allied Greek fleet. Also, the Persian ships tended to be more maneuverable and ­ were all captained by veteran mari­ ners and admirals from Persia’s Greek, Phoenician, Egyptian, and Ionian allies. In the days preceding the arrival over land of Xerxes’s huge army opposite Thermopylae, the Persian fleet suffered a number of setbacks that reduced its size. First, it divided, sending a squadron south and east of Euboea to intercept any reinforcements from Athens ­ because the Greek fleet guarded the seaward pas- sage west of the isle of Euboea. Second, the main fleet was badly damaged and scattered by a storm as it proceeded south from the coastal ­ waters of Thessaly ­ toward its rendezvous through the narrow passage of Artemisium to the army at Thermopylae. Just as the Spartan force ­ under King Leonidas held the pass at Thermopylae, the Allied Greek fleet held off the Persian fleet from Artemisium for three successive days. ­ After Xerxes forced the famous pass at Thermopylae and other points against the Spartan-­ led defenders, the leaders of the Greek fleet, Themistocles (Athens) and Eurybaides (Sparta), realized that they too must retreat. ­ Under the cover of darkness, they fell back down the western side of Euboea to Athens, right past Xerxes’s army celebrating its recent victory. Once ­there, the Athenians scattered to the hills, their ships, and the island of Salamis during the last days of summer in 480. THE PLAN The decision of the Greeks to remain in the vicinity of Athens at Salamis was impor­ tant, and most of the credit for it must go to Themistocles. However, Eury- baides provided the critical support of the Spartans for this course of action, which swayed all the other allies to accede other­ wise, the Greek fleet might have