battle battle double battle taking place water land allies took place vicinity mouth asia minor forms wars league larger formed athens city states continue war persia begun second persian invasions greece respectively aftermath ended second invasion taken offensive besieging cities byzantium took responsibility war continued attack persian bases decade began assembling large army navy major offensive greeks gathering near possible expedition aimed coast asia minor capturing city turn bring greek regions persian control naval bases launch expeditions hearing persian preparations general took sailed eventually agreed join effectively blocked persian strategy objective moved pre attack persian forces near sailing mouth river quickly routed persian fleet gathered persian fleet land fall sailors fled shelter persian army landed greek marines proceeded attack persian army routed greeks captured persian camp taking prisoners able destroy beached persian stunning double victory greatly prevented persian campaigning appear pressed home advantage probably events greek world required attention chronology provides list main events occurring end second persian invasion outbreak war chronological information attempts chronology definitive answer assumption central attempts describing events appropriate chronological order firmly accepted date beginning siege based ancient copy works notes met disaster known mentions attack connection beginning siege says siege ended year siege dates battle dated choosing fellow generals judges competition recently achieved great victory likely candidate occurred siege siege date clearly constrained date whilst accept date earlier school thought places late occurred alternative date battle modern historians split supporting likely date opting background persian wars roots conquest greek cities asia minor particular cyrus great shortly found difficult rule eventually settling city greek states past ruled form government decline appears rebellion persian place men tension finally broke open revolt actions attempting save disastrous persian sponsored expedition chose declare democracy triggered similar revolutions beginning greek states athens allowed drawn conflict campaigning season contributed capture burning persian regional capital revolt carried outside aid years finally completely crushed decision great historic significance persian king great decided despite successfully revolt remained unfinished business punishment athens supporting revolt severely threatened stability empire states mainland greece continue threaten stability dealt began complete conquest greece beginning destruction athens decades persian invasions greece including famous battles history invasion islands added duly destroyed invasion ended decisive victory battle marathon invasions died responsibility war passed son led second invasion personally taking enormous exaggerated army navy greece greeks chose resist allies defeated twin battles land sea respectively greece fell persian hands seeking finally destroy allied navy suffered decisive defeat battle following year allies assembled largest greek army seen defeated persian invasion force battle ending invasion threat greece according tradition day allied fleet defeated remnants persian fleet action marks end persian invasion beginning phase persian wars greek counterattack greek cities asia minor revolted powerless stop allied fleet sailed held besieged captured town following year allies sent force capture city byzantium modern day istanbul siege successful behaviour general alienated allies resulted recall siege byzantium action alliance defeated persian invasion byzantium eager end involvement war view liberation mainland greece greek cities war purpose reached feeling securing long term security asian greeks prove impossible loose alliance city states fought invasion dominated league withdrawal leadership greeks explicitly passed congress called holy island institute new alliance continue fight alliance including islands formally constituted alliance commonly known according official aim league avenge suffered territory king forces league spent decade remaining persian garrisons expanding territory controlled league prelude persian forces europe largely gone starting extend league asia minor islands members original alliance presumably original members unclear exactly cities greek cities asia minor joined league certainly point presence byzantium possible cities joined league early politician said died whilst public business given responsible organising financial contributions league member trip connected expansion league asia minor campaign begun response assembly large persian fleet army near mouth usually argued campaign launched deal new threat suggests persian build attempt counter activity greeks failure second invasion possible internal strife persian empire contributed length time took launch campaign outlines persian strategic problems persia land power naval forces close conjunction armies free ranging enemy waters case secure naval bases necessary revolt land forces operating easy royal army navy deal revolt view general revolt cities subsequent successes greek navies way persia coast restoring order city city fleet army moving nature naval warfare ancient world dependent large teams rowers meant ships landfall days resupply food water severely limited range ancient fleet essentially meant navies operate vicinity secure naval bases suggests persian forces gathered aiming southern coast asia minor capturing city eventually persian navy begin operating alexander great employ strategy reverse winter lacking navy alexander settled instead denying persian navy suitable bases capturing ports southern says hearing persian forces gathering sailed highly likely assembled force warning forthcoming persian campaign greeks certainly league business required great force waiting expected march straight royal road according sailed greek city refused began lands contingent fleet people agreed join league contribute troops expedition pay talents fact pre sailed captured suggests anticipated persian campaign capture coastal cities outlined presence army navy persuaded immediate assault capturing east west effectively blocked persian campaign begun denying naval base needed control taking initiative moved directly attack persian fleet opposing forces greek according league fleet consisted design originally developed primarily actions modified improve boarding actions standard complement men including marines second persian invasion greece persian ship carried thirty extra marines probably true invasion invasion force apparently carried furthermore ships battle carried marines suggests probably carry maximum soldiers easily extra weight probably marines league fleet persian different estimates size persian fleet given says fleet ships generally considered reliable source gives numbers furthermore says persian fleet awaiting ships sailing cyprus account generally favoured element truth assertion awaiting reinforcements explain able launch pre assault estimates ancient sources size persian land army number persian marines accompanying fleet presumably range number greek marines persian ships carried complement troops quotes saying commander royal fleet infantry says named overall commander battle gives details battle reliable detailed account given according persian fleet anchored mouth awaiting arrival ships cyprus sailing attack reinforcements arrived persian fleet eager avoid fighting retreated river continued bear accepted battle regardless numbers persian battle line quickly breached persian ships turned river bank grounding ships crews sought sanctuary army waiting nearby ships captured destroyed naval battle likely able land persian army began greek fleet presumably grounded order capture persian ships despite troops battle seeing men impetus pride victory eager come close quarters landed marines proceeded attack persian army initially persian line held assault eventually battle heavily armoured proved superior routed persian army fleeing camp captured camp victorious greeks says ships captured destroyed highly unlikely occurred apparently brief naval battle probably grounded ships captured battle destroyed fire case says ships captured addition destroyed fled possible destroyed context means sunk battle greeks certainly destroyed ships captured implies explicitly gives number ships destroyed possible reconcile numbers clear best approach estimates ancient sources casualties troops says following double victory like powerful athlete brought contests day went competing victories supposedly sailed greek fleet quickly possible intercept fleet ships expected taking surprise captured destroyed entire fleet mention subsidiary action cast doubt actually happened aftermath according tradition persian king time agreed peace treaty aftermath admits authors denied peace time logical date peace treaty cyprus campaign alternative suggested persian king acted peace greeks fearful engaging battle generally considered unlikely modern historians peace treaty aftermath highly significant victory probably ended threat persian invasion greece prevented persian attempt greeks accession cities asia minor league particularly probably followed campaign despite massive victory stalemate developed persia league greeks appear pressed advantage home meaningful way later date campaign accepted revolt meant resources diverted away asia minor prevent league conversely suggests adopted defensive strategy decade half persian fleet effectively absent greek ships able coasts asia minor major campaign persian occur decided support revolt egyptian persian empire campaign years eventually ending disaster greeks
Battle of the Eurymedon