Episode 23: The Fall of Athens

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The defenders of the last stand at Thermopylae and the Spartan king lay dead, the Persians now in control of the pass. At Artemisium, the Greeks had decided to withdraw from their position due to not being able to sustain the losses they were taking and news of the fall of Thermopylae. The path into central Greece was now open to Xerxes and his forces.

The Persian army would march throughout central Greece adding more cities to their list of subjected peoples. Those cities and villages that continued to resit in the face of the Persian forces were raised to the ground with their people fleeing, killed or captured. Though, some divine intervention would see the Persians being unable to add Delphi to it subjected peoples.

With the news of the Persian advance, Athens had been evacuating its people across to the Island of Salamis. Xerxes would arrive to a mostly deserted Acropolis, laying siege to the few defenders and then capturing the city. He was now in control of the ultimate prize and would now take revenge for the destruction at Sardis the Athenians had been involved in some 20 years earlier. 

Athens now lay in ruins but the Athenians were still a powerful Polis. They still possessed one of the largest fleets in all of Greece. The other members of the Hellenic league were also on Salamis, but much debate was taking place on whether they should depart and make their way to the Peloponnese. The fate of Athens now rested on if the Greeks at Salamis could unite and challenge the Persians there. Themistocles, the Athenian leader would try all he could to make this a reality.   

Transcript

Episode 23:

 The Fall of Athens

“When the Athenians saw them on the summit, some leapt from the wall to their death, others sought sanctuary in the inner shrine of the temple; but the Persians who had got up first made straight for the gates, flung them open and slaughtered those in the sanctuary. Having left not one of them alive, they stripped the temple of its treasures and burnt everything on the Acropolis. Xerxes, now absolute master of Athens, dispatched a rider to Susa with news for Artabanus of his success”.[1]

Herodotus, the Histories

Hello, I’m Mark Selleck and welcome back to Casting Through Ancient Greece, Episode 23, The Fall of Athens.

Introduction:

The attempt to hold the Persians in the north of Greece had failed. The pass at Thermopylae had fallen well before a larger army could be assembled to meet the Persians. The plan had been for the Spartans to assemble an army with the other Hellenic league cities once the proceedings of the Olympic festival and Carneia were complete. The Athenians were already deployed, with all of their man power committed to the fleet. But now the resistance blocking the Persian advance had been over come. At Thermopylae, treachery from the nightmare that was Ephialtes had seen Leonidas’ position outflanked and surrounded, with not just him and his 300 Spartans slaughtered, but a few thousand Greeks lay dead. At Artemesium, the Greeks had been engaging the larger Persian fleet with careful tactical consideration. Although they had been coming out on top each day, the attrition rates were heavily in the Persians favour. The decision to fall back from their position had been made but once news of the disaster at Thermopylae arrived, they wasted no time in getting underway.

Greece was now open to Xerxes and his forces, no other organised resistance existed in northern and central Greece. The Olympic truce that was in effect saw that only a small force could be mustered together, and that had been destroyed. Other defensive measures were taking place though. Down at the Corinthian Isthmus, although the Peloponnesian states had agreed to fight further north in Greece, they were constructing a defensive wall, effectively cutting off the Peloponnese to the rest of Greece and handing over access to Xerxes.[2] The cities that lay north of the Isthmus were now left to either, flee their lands, submit to the great king or be resigned to the fate that waited as the Persian army marched on them.

Athens Evacuates:

Athens had been evacuating the city before the battles at Thermopylae and Artemesium. After all, the Oracle at Delphi had prophesied their fall. Though people still remained in Athens or had returned after weeks of no news of the Persian advance. Now that the news of the battles to the north had not gone in their favour, coupled with the news of the defensive wall at Corinth, and lack of a Greek army marching north. There was now a heightened sense of urgency for many to flee the city. A message was able to reach the withdrawing Greek fleet and requested them to put in at Salamis, an Island just under 2km from the western coast of Attica, to assist with the evacuation. Presumably the desired destination for the fleet was a port on the Peloponnese. The Athenians were able to convince the other contingents to alter their course to Salamis to help bring their women and children to safety. The Athenians then made their way to Athens port at Phaleron to help evacuate Athens and the surrounding regions. The refugees would be transported to Trozen, on the Peloponnese, Aegina, an Island in the Saronic Gulf and Salamis. Some of the Athenians were apprehensive of leaving their homes and livelihoods, Herodotus talks of a story with a religious connection that would help convince some to leave. 

“The Athenains say that the Acropolis is guarded by a great snake, which lives in the temple; indeed they believe so literally in its existence that they put out monthly offerings for it to eat in the form of a honey cake. Now in the past the honey cake used to always be consumed, but on this occasion it was untouched. The temple Priestess told them of this, and in consequence, believing that the goddess herself had abandoned the Acropolis, they were all the more ready to evacuate the town”.[3]

One can’t help wonder if Themistocles had a hand in the tale of the snake’s disappearance. If the patron goddess Athena had abandoned the city that would have not made for a good omen to those still there. Although a great many Athenians did leave Athens, some could not be convinced and still had faith in the Oracles wooden wall being a palisade around the Acropolis.

Among the refugees was a young boy named Pericles who, in the future would go on to lead Athens during its height. For now, he was being shipped off to safety while his farther Xanthippus, who commanded a trireme and would become commander of the Athenian fleet the following year made for Salamis aboard his trireme. Everyone evacuating could only take the bare necessities with them, everything else had to be left behind, including domestic animals. Plutarch tells us of Xanthippus’ departure after leaving his possessions. 

“… Xanthippus, the father of Pericles, had a dog that would not endure to stay behind, but leaped into the sea, and swam along by the galley’s side till he came to the island of Salamis, where he sainted away and died, and that spot in the island, which is still called the Dog’s grave, is said to be his.”[4]

Athens and the surrounding regions were now for the most part abandoned. But a portion of the population had stayed behind for various reasons and they would encounter Xerxes and his forces who were determined to obtain revenge on their city.

Tour of Thermopylae:  

Back at Thermopylae and Artemesium, the Persians had not pursued the Greeks right away. The fleet had taken up the old Greek positions around Artemesium and began overrunning the villages in the area. While this was taking place, a ship arrived with a messenger sent by Xerxes, who announced that the Great King was granting leave to all those who wished to see the battlefield where the Greeks dared to stand before him. 

Before Xerxes allowed his forces to tour the battlefield, he had it prepared to highlight his victory and for the cost to his own army in achieving that victory hidden away. Herodotus records that 20,000 of Xerxes troops were killed at the pass and that all but 1000 were taken away and buried out of sight.[5] This way he would be showing a sprinkling of his own dead amongst the many Greek fallen. Many men from the fleet took advantage of the leave offered, and not enough boats were available to accommodate all that wanted to visit. The ones lucky enough to make it to Thermopylae were taken through the battlefield, with all the Greek dead presented as Spartans or Thespians. Though, they would have made up only a small part of the fallen Greeks as many others had been killed in the fighting including the many Helots and other slaves that would have accompanied the Greek army. Though the so much more impressive if Xerxes had been fighting an entire army of Spartans. 

It would seem that Xerxes attempt at hiding the real cost of the battle didn’t go unnoticed by the visitors from the fleet. Herodotus suggests that this is due to the sight of the battlefield and the tourists disbelieving that so few of their troops fell against what was before them.[6] We can probably imagine that as the men from the fleet arrived on land, many stories would have been swapped between the troops of the army and navy and perhaps a truer account of what took place over the 3 days making its way around the ranks.

The Army Marches and splits:

Enough time had passed to allow the army to recover and prepare for the march deeper into Greece. With the visitors now heading back to Artemesium, the army made ready to move out. In the leading formations and scouting parties were Greeks from Thessaly all too eager to guide the Persian army through Phocian lands which lay ahead. The Thessalians and Phocians were bitter rivals and the two regions had had their fair share of wars with each other. Herodotus tells us that Phocis was one of the only regions in the northern areas in Greece which did not medize. Though, he puts the reason for this at their hatred of the Thessalians, not any notation of Pan Hellenism.[7] The Persians marched through Doris and then into Phocis, the lands that had submitted to Xerxes were left mostly untouched by violence. 

Once the Persians reached the lands of Phocis though, everything changed. Most of the Phocians had fled their cities and villages, either to the Parnassus mountains or to friendly regions west. Every city, village and temple that the Persians marched into was razed to the ground. Those who had decided to stay and not flee were treated as the enemy and much killing and rape took place. The Persians were unleashed and could gain their fill of loot and women. Stories from fleeing Phocians, surly would have filtered southward, coming as a warning to those regions standing in defiance of the Persians and yet to have them enter their lands. 

After marching through Phocis, the Persian army was at the boarder of Boeotia and here Xerxes had decided to split his forces. The main part of the army would march through Boeotian territory towards Attica. While a smaller force would be sent against a particularly rich and important religious shine, scared to all Greeks, Delphi. Delphi was in the region of Phocis but was not on the path of the Persian army’s march. Now though, such an important shrine could not be left untouched, so this detachment was tasked with the mission of looting and destroying it.

In Boeotia many cities and villages had been submitting as the Persian army was marching into Greece. To ensure that when the Persians arrived in their region, and they would not be treated as enemies. The Boeotians headed by Thebes had been in diplomatic contact with King Alexander of Macedonia, a trusted friend of King Xerxes. Not to be confused with Alexander the Great who would rule over 150 years later. Remember Macedonia had also offered earth and water to Xerxes.  After coming to an agreement, and presumably large amounts of gold changing hands, Macedonian troops were sent ahead to guarantee the safety of the cities and villages that had submitted. The general foot solider in such a large army would have very little idea of who was friendly and who was the enemy in a foreign land. Or most likely didn’t care all that much, they were after food, shelter, loot and women. This would have also assisted Xerxes as we can think of the Macedonians as a sort of military police ensuring the average Persian solider didn’t undermine Xerxes policy of treating fairly those who had submitted to him. For the most part all of Boeotia had submitted, but there were two exceptions, Thespiai and Plataea and they would have no Macedonian garrison guaranteeing their safety.

Persian army at Delphi:

The detachment that had split from the main Persian force marched west to wards Delphi while the Xerxes continued into Boeotia. All of the untouched villages that they encountered were ravaged on the march. Word of the Persian advance reached Delphi who consulted their oracle about what to do with all the riches. When people came to consult the oracle, it was normal for them to bring some sort of offering to Apollo, so over the years the shine had become very wealthy. The oracle had responded that he, Apollo was quite capable at guarding him own tressure.[8] The people of Delphi then turned to saving themselves, like the other Phocines they fled to other friendly regions and some into the Parnassus mountains. All that was left at Delphi were 60 men and the priest of the oracle.

With the Persians now insight of Delphi divine intervention would now come into play, as no army led by a mere mortal was going to disturb the most sacred shrine to Apollo. With only 61 men present at Delphi, rumours and tales were sure to circulate if the Persians could not capture the shrine. Herodotus heard these tales and retold them a generation or so later. Firstly, within the temple hung sacred weapons which no man could handle, but the priest had come running to the tell the rest of the defenders that they all now lay out side on their own accord as if ready to defend the site. As the Persians advanced through the mountainous terrain, a storm had descended on the area with a loud mighty roar coming from the temple ahead. Lightning had struck within their ranks and caused the peaks of mountains to fall and crush the marching troops. All of this caused great panic amongst the Persians, with superstition getting the better of them as they had not yet encountered any men defending the site. The troops affected by this divine intervention panicked and started fleeing back through the rest of the Persian force, spreading the panic to those no aware of what was happening ahead. The men at Delphi then fell on those Persians wounded or caught by surprise of events. Here also the gods were at work, as it is reported that two giant hoplites descended from Delphi and joined in the slaughter. The rest of the detachment that got away made their way back to the main army in Boeotia, unsuccessful in their mission.[9]

Fall of Athens:

Xerxes, with all of Boeotia under his control now crossed with his army into Attica, and where the ultimate goal of his revenge lay, the city of Athens. Though, the Persians were not just looking for simple revenge. They had been, since the time of Cyrus the great, in the business of expanding their empire. Again, as the Persians marched, all the country side and villages who had not taken the sensible act of offering earth and water were plundered and burnt to the ground. Eventually, the Acropolis could be seen in the distance, after leaving Sardis in mid-April the army now had Athens in sight in early September. 

As the approach to Athens continued, Xerxes discovered that Athens and it surrounds were mostly deserted. Only a small following of Athenians remained on the Acropolis, believing that they had interpreted the prophesy given to Athens by the Delphic Oracle correctly.[10] They were sure that the wooden palisade that surrounded the Acropolis was the wooden wall referred to. Once arriving at the Acropolis, Xerxes had the army centred on the hill of Ares, or Areopagus, which lay opposite the Acropolis and from here siege operations were directed against the defenders. The belief in the wooden wall quickly evaporated when Persian archers were drawn up and fired volleys of burning arrows into the wooden palisade, undermining their interpretation of the wooden wall. Although the palisade was destroyed the Acropolis was still a formidable defensive position. Xerxes attempted to reason with the defenders using the decedents of Peisistratus, who had been part of his court since Hippias’ exile. The Athenians refused to even entertain the idea of surrendering their position and instead kept on defending against the Persian advances. The Athenians who occupied the Acropolis were not numerous enough to defend the entire perimeter. The defence focused on the areas considered vulnerable to attack, while those areas that were considered too difficult to ascend were left unguarded. Eventually as the siege continued the Persians noticed these areas that had been left undefended and it was here where groups of them were able to climb unhindered. 

Once the Athenians noticed the gap in their defence, it was too late, the Persians had now come atop the Acropolis in force. From here the defence of the Acropolis ceased, some threw themselves from the walls to their death below, while others took refuge in the temples and shines. The Persians who had breached the defences now sought to open all of the gates to allow the rest of the army in. No quarter was given, all of the Athenians were murdered where they were found, the temples and shines plundered. Once everything of worth was removed, fires were lit and soon the entire Acropolis was ablaze. One can imagine the satisfaction that would have come over Xerxes as smoke and flame rose from the acropolis while he watched on from the hill of Ares. The buildings and temples burnt to the ground much like what had happened at Sardis some 22 years earlier.[11] 

We hear that on the next day, Xerxes had some Athenian exiles that had been travelling with the army go up on the ruins and make sacrifices to their gods.[12] Maybe Xerxes still feared the gods even if they weren’t his or the Greeks wanted to believe he did anyway. Though, it was normal practice for the Persians to allow subjected peoples within the empire to still worship their traditional gods. He might have been looking to the future and enacting this program as soon as possible. 

What the Athenians saw up on the Acropolis would suggest to them that Athena had not completely abandoned Athens. On top the Acropolis within one of the temples was an olive tree which was sacred to Athens. If you recall from our episodes on Athens, it was the gift provided by Athena that the Athenians had chosen and therefore named their city after her.[13] Well this olive tree had been destroyed in the fire, but the exiles saw a shoot, one and a half feet growing out of the burnt stump. So perhaps Athens was not Xerxes’ yet. 

Combined Greek fleet at Salamis:

With the Persians continuing their advance south into Greece and the Athenians having assisted the evacuation of Athens. Other Greek ships had been assembling off the coast near Troezen on the Peloponnese. With the fighting at Thermopylae and Artimesium, other contingents were still collecting crews and ships to help in the defence or providing further reinforcements to their already committed contingents. The rallying point was at Troezen with the intension of deploying from there. With the retreat from Artemisium, it was assumed the main fleet would also make its way back to Troezen. With the change in plans and the fleet now at Salamis, the Troezen fleet now set sail to join the rest of the Greeks. With the joining of the two fleets, the Greek naval force now numbered more than the 321 deployed at Artemesium. After taking into account the losses, the total Herodotus gives of the fleet at Salamis was now 378 triremes.[14] Though if we add up the list of how many ships each contingent supplied we get 366, with him also saying that 2 ships from the Persian side defected to the Greeks which slightly bumps up this number before the battle begins.[15] Other totals have also been provided namely by Aeschylus, who was a poet and had fought at Salamis, he has in his poem, the Persians, a messenger revealing to the Persian Queen that the Greeks numbered about 300 ships.[16] Though, maybe we need to keep in mind that this was a work of poetry written for an Athenian audience. Rounding down the numbers would have made their victory seem even more impressive. No clear plan had been outlined to make a stand at Salamis; all the Greeks had saw Salamis as being the new assembly point for the fleet instead of Troezen. Although it seems one man, Themistocles had already begun devising a plan in his head. After Artemisium, Themistocles learnt that the promised army from the Peloponnese that was supposed to have marched into Boeotia did not eventuate. Coupled with this he had learnt that the defensive wall at the Corinthian Isthmus had gone ahead. His city, Athens was now left defenceless; the Peloponnesians had left them high and dry. One cannot help think that during the withdrawal and time in port at Salamis, Themistocles would have been devising a plan to bring the fight north of the Peloponnese. Once all the commanders had assembled the intension was to hold a council to discuss the next course of action. 

Once all had assembled Eurybiades held a council of war to outline the fleets next course of action. He had opened the floor to any of the commanders for suitable suggestions of where they should engage the Persians. It was clear though, by suitable he was asking about where in the Peloponnese as he made it clear it needed to be from territory the Greeks controlled. In his eyes Attica and anywhere north of the Isthmus was already lost to the Persians. The main consensus was that the fleet should fall back to a port on the Peloponnese where they could be in range to support the defensive line across the Isthmus at Corinth. It was argued that if the fleet fought forward of this position and defeated, they would be easily cut off and surrounded. Where if they fought from the Peloponnese and disaster struck, they could fall back into friendly territory and more option would be open to them. Themistocles must have been standing there quite perplexed at the defeatist attitudes his fellow commanders were voicing. 

The council was interrupted with a messenger who had arrived from Athens, he brought the news that the Persians had marched through Boeotia and into Attica destroying the farms and villages they passed through. They had arrived at Athens and had captured the Acropolis, reducing it to ruins. The news had seen some of the commanders resolve shaken to the core and instead of waiting for the meeting to conclude, they headed back to their ships to set sail right away. Though, the majority remained and the decision to fight a battle in the defence of the Isthmus was cemented by the news.

Themistocles plan:

All the commanders departed the council to ready their ships and crews, as there was much to be done if they were to depart at day break the next day. Themistocles seems to have been at somewhat of a loss and maybe slumped into a slight depression at the decision that was arrived at during the panic at the meeting. We don’t hear any accounts of him interjecting during the council to put his view forward, which was very unlike him. Upon returning to where his ship was beached and presumably the other Athenian ships, news would have been circulating amongst the Athenians of the fate of their homeland. He told the other Athenian ship commanders of the decision reached at the council. One of the commanders spoke up against this course of action which seems to have injected some fire back into Themistocles. At the council he was far outnumbered and heard nothing but views of defeatism. Now he was in the presence of fellow Athenians who helped him shift his focus back on track. Mnesiphilos’ main fear was that if the Greeks did not make a stand here, the fleet would ultimately disperse, with the many contingents being more concerned about trying to save their own cities or villages rather than fight for all of Hellas. Ultimately there would be no Hellas to defend as the Persians would conquer each region, one by one with no united force to oppose them.[17]  After hearing Mnesiphilos out, he departed the Athenian camp right away, heading straight towards Eurybiades’ ship. 

Themistocles was invited on board Eurybiades’ ship to discuss his urgent concerns. Themistocles, in true Themistclean manner now present Mnesiphilos argument as his own while also raising some of his own points. His aim was to have Eurybiades recall the council so he could convince the other contingent commanders to stay at Salamis and fight. Eventually, Eurybiades was convinced and ordered the contingent commander to reconvene for a second council.

The Second Council:   

Once all the commanders had assembled, the old Themistocles sprang into action, he didn’t wait for Eurybiades to address them and explain the great urgency for this second council. He had decided not to use the same exact argument that was presented to him back at his ships and which he had presented to Eurybiades. He did not want to accuse them of wanting to abandon the cause, he needed them on side. I think here, instead of summarising his argument, I am going to read the speech Herodotus has Themistocles present to the assembled council.

“It is now in your power to save Greece, if you take my advice and engage the enemy’s fleet here in Salamis, instead of withdrawing to the Isthmus as these other people suggest. Let me put two plans before you, and you can weigh them up and see which is the better. Take the Isthmus first, if you fight there, it will have to be in the open sea, and that will be greatly to our disadvantage, with our smaller numbers and slower ships. Moreover, even if everything else goes well, you will lose Salamis, Megara and Aegina. Again if the enemy fleet comes south, the army will follow it; so you will yourself be responsible for drawing it to the Peloponnese, thus putting the whole of Greece in peril.

Now for my plan, it will bring, if you adopt it, the following advantages: first, we shall be fighting in narrow waters, and there, with our inferior numbers, we shall win, providing things go as we may reasonably expect. Fighting in a confined space favours us but the open sea favours the enemy. Secondly, Salamis, where we have put our women and children, will be preserved; and thirdly, for you the most important point of all, you will be fighting in defence of the Peloponnese by remaining here just as much as by withdrawing to the Isthmus, nor, if you have the sense to follow my advice, you will draw the Persian army to the Peloponnese. If we beat them at sea, as I expect we shall, they will not advance to attack you on the Isthmus, or come any further than Attica; they will retreat in disorder, and we shall gain by the preservation of Megara, Aegina, and Salamis – where an oracle foretold our victory. Let a man lay his plans with due regard to common sense, and he will usually succeed; otherwise he will find that god is unlikely to favour human designs.”[18] 

The Corinthian commander, Adeimantus attacked Themistocles accusing him of being a mere refugee and that he should not have a say in matters as he was a man without a country now. Seeing that his measured approach was not having the desired effect on some of the commanders, Themistocles now turned to pointing out some hard truths to them. He addressed Adeimantus’ rebuke by pointing out that Athens had upwards of 200 ships and was therefore Athens still existed. Athens was more than the physical city; she was her people and the power they exerted. While this was the case she was still a more powerful city than that of Corinth. Before anyone else could speak, he then shifted his attention to Eurybiades and with fire still burning inside he said;

“As for you, if you stay here and play the man – well and good; go, and you’ll be the ruin of Greece. In this war everything depends of the fleet. I beg you to take my advice; if you refuse, we will immediately put our families aboard and sail for Siris in Italy – it has long been ours, and the oracles have foretold that Athenians must live there some day. Where will you be without the Athenian fleet? When you have lost it you will remember my words.”[19]

Eurybiades, knew all to well that Themistocles was right, there was no way the Greeks could oppose the Persians at sea if the Athenians left. They made up almost half of the entire fleet and he was not prepared to see if he was bluffing. With all the debate about the best course of action, Eurybiades now took the view counter to his fellow Peloponnesians. The fleet would remain at Athens and make battle with the Persians there. Themistocles, as well as the Athenians would have been pleased with the decision made, but he would have also been somewhat wary. He knew any change in matters could alter the decision reached, plus Eurybiades’ ruling would not have been popular with the other Peloponnesian commanders. They would seek any reason to have the fleet sail for the Peloponnese.

Persian Fleet:

About a week after the battle of Artemesium, the Persian fleet had now arrived some 15km from the Greek position. They made use of the Athenian port of Phaleron and also occupied what would become the port of Piraeus. They had set sail from Euboea 4 days after the battle, taking another 3 to arrive and meet back up with the army. Herodotus believed that on the eve of the battle of Salamis the Persian fleet numbered what it had been before Artemesium, with the losses being made up from reinforcements arriving and joining the fleet in the week leading up to Salamis.[20] Most modern historians believe that the fleet was most likely around 700 triremes, not the 1200 or so that Herodotus reports. Though it still far outnumbering the Greek fleet.

Where the Persians had beached and anchored their fleet suited the strategy that they would like to have followed. This would have surly been a consideration amongst the commanders. If they could draw the Greeks out from their position at Salamis and into the open waters of the Saronic gulf, their numbers and lighter ships would have a major advantage. Though, if the Greeks could draw them into the straights between Salamis and Attica these advantages would be nullified. Events leading to the battle would determine who would be drawn to where.  

With the Persian fleet now reunited with the army, Xerxes wish to go to the coast and address his fleet commanders and hear what they proposed to do about the Greek fleet. He had all of the different contingent commanders seated according to rank and then had his top general, Mardonius go around to each of them asking what they though about engaging the Greeks at sea. It seemed Xerxes wanted to fight the Greeks and destroy their fleet once and for all, so probably best that the commanders agree with this course of action. All were in favour of giving battle to the Greeks, all except one. The one commander who advocated for a different approach was also an anomaly in the ancient world. Artemisia was a woman, and the tyrant or Queen of Halicarnassus, a city state located in the region of Caria, in Anatolia. If you recall this was also the home town of Herodotus, so it probably comes as no surprise he is our main source on her. He would have most likely heard stories of her as he was growing up. Now on campaign, she commanded the five ships that Halicarnassus supplied for the Persian invasion. She had already proven her self in battle at Artemesium and thought here opinion would hold some weight with the great king. 

Artemisia told Mardonious to report back to Xerxes what she said, while her fellow commanders looked on horrified that she would suggest some different course of action. She advised Xerxes to spare his ships as he had already taken his main goal of the war, Athens had been captured. She advised, that although the Greeks were less in number they were far better sailors than what the Persian fleet provided, probably not going down well with the other commanders listening. She advised on a land campaign directed at the Isthmus. The Greeks she had heard were on the edge of collapse with their league and their fleet would soon scatter, given enough time. She feared that if the Persian fleet offered battle, it would be destroyed and the army would soon follow the same fate. She then continued to flatter the King before calling out the supposed allies of his, suggesting they did not have his best intensions at hand and not to put his faith in them to win a battle at sea.[21]

Those not horrified at her frankness but were jealous of the influence she held, would have most certainly been smiling thinking that Xerxes would punish her for suggesting something different to what he likely wanted to do. But when the responses collected by Mardonious were brought back to Xerxes, he showed respect for what Artemisia had said. She had served him well in the past and so he was prepared to listen to her opinion. It is impossible to know if Artemisia had really put forward this suggestion or if she is serving as the faithful warning to Xerxes in Herodotus account.

Xerxes though, had decided to follow the majority of his commanders in engaging the Greeks at sea and really this is what his intension was from the beginning. He believed that the fleet had not achieved its mission at Artemesium because he was not there to oversee proceedings. Surly, if the Great King were present, the men would have fought much harder. Xerxes now ordered for the fleet to make ready for battle. So it would seem that the battle of Salamis would soon develop. No one had made a clear plan for a battle to take place there; it would come about as a result of the events taking place over the past week. For one side, it would happen to be a matter of being in the right place at the right time. For the other, the wrong place at the wrong time. On the eve of Salamis the Persians were determined to give battle. The Greeks, a decision was reached but for how long that decision would last was anyone’s guess. The different Greek contingents were far from united in their enthusiasm to fight at Salamis. Themistocles knew this, perhaps if there was no other choice but to fight there, they would sail out as a united force with a united cause.

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I hope you can join me next time for episode 24, The battle of Salamis.

[1] Herodotus 8.53[2] Herodotus 7.139 / 8.40[3] Herodotus 8.41[4] Plutarch’s Lives, Themistocles p154[5] Herodotus 8.24[6] Herodotus 8.25[7] Herodotus 8.30[8] Herodotus 8.36[9] Herodotus 8.37-39[10] Herodotus 7. 142[11] Herodotus 5. 102[12] Herodotus 8 .54[13] Herodotus 8 .55 / Plutarch’s Lives, Themistocles p160[14] Herodotus 8. 48[15] Herodotus 8. 82[16] Aeschylus, The Persians 335[17] Herodotus 8. 57[18] Herodotus 8. 60[19] Herodotus 8. 62[20] Herodotus 8. 66[21] Herodotus 8. 68