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Battle of Salamis

Type Event Region Greece Time -480

In September 480 BCE, the allied Greek fleet, instigated by the Athenian commander Themistocles, engaged a Persian fleet of over 800 ships under Xerx…

Timeline

  1. -480Island of Salamis · AtticaAfter Thermopylae and Artemisium, the fleets of the Greek city-states withdrew to the Salamis Gulf. Themistocles persuaded the allies to set an ambush in the narrow straits rather than continue retreating to the Isthmus of Corinth.
  2. -480Salamis Gulf · AtticaXerxes watched from the shore as the Persian fleet entered the gulf at dawn. Greek warships attacked from both flanks; the narrow waters prevented the large Persian fleet from deploying, and many enemy ships collided in confusion.
  3. -480Salamis Gulf · AtticaThe Greek fleet sank or captured over 200 Persian warships, with far lighter losses than the enemy. Xerxes left Mardonius to continue the war with the army while he withdrew the main naval force to Asia Minor.

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