Battle of Salamis: Athens at War in the 5th century: Classical Civilization: GCSE (9:1)

Queen Artemisia

Admiral of Persian navy; tried to dissuade Xerxes from fighting at Salamis

Themistocles

Convinced Athens to build strong navy; led the Greeks at Salamis with his plan to trick the Persians

Xerxes

King of Persia, refused to listen to Queen Artemisia, leading to Persian defeat at Salamis

Eurybiades

Spartan who yielded leadership at Salamis to Themistocles

Battle of Thermopylae

A battle between Greek and Persian forces. Although the Persians suffered many casualties, they succeeded in invading Greece. Many Athenians fled to Salamis as Athens was sacked

strait

A narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water

Straits of Atemisium

A body of water nearby Salamis in which the Greek navy first engaged the Persian forces. This led to the Battle at Thermopylae

Adeimantus

A Corinthian naval commander who argued that the Greeks should form a naval blockade (a defensive strategy). This was rejected in favour of Themistocles' offensive tactics

Sicinnus

Themistocles' loyal slave who delivered a deceptive message to Xerxes that helped Themistocles trick him into attacking

Herodotus

A Greek historian who wrote about the Battle of Salamis

Peloponnesians

The allies of the Greeks in the battle who were persuaded to help when they realised the Persians would be defeated

378

The number of Greek triremes in the fleet during the Battle of Salamis

Aeschylus

An Athenian tragic playwright who fought at the Battle of Salamis

1207

The number of ships in the Persian Fleet during their invasion of Greece