battle naval battle fought alliance king resulted decisive victory outnumbered greeks battle fought straits mainland island near athens marked high point second persian invasion greece block persian advance small force greeks blocked pass dominated allied navy engaged persian fleet nearby straits resulting rearguard greek force annihilated whilst battle greeks heavy losses retreated loss allowed conquer allies prepared defend whilst fleet withdrawn nearby heavily outnumbered persuaded general bring persian fleet battle hope victory prevent naval operations persian king eager decisive battle result persian navy sailed tried block entrances cramped conditions straits great persian numbers active ships struggled maneuver disorganized seizing opportunity greek fleet formed line scored decisive victory retreated asia army leaving complete conquest greece following year remainder persian army decisively beaten battle persian navy battle attempts conquer greek mainland battles mark turning point course persian wars onward greek offensive number historians believe persian victory development extension western civilization led claim significant battles human history background greek city states athens supported unsuccessful revolt led relatively young prone revolts subject peoples spent considerable time revolts rule revolt threatened integrity empire vowed punish involved especially empire saw opportunity expand empire world preliminary expedition secure land approaches greece ended conquest forced client kingdom persia sent greek city states asking gift earth water token submission having demonstration power previous year majority greek cities duly obliged athens ambassadors trial executed simply thrown meant effectively war persia amphibious task force attacked receiving submission task force moved besieged destroyed finally moved attack athens landing bay marathon met heavily outnumbered army ensuing won remarkable victory resulted withdrawal persian army asia began raising huge new army meant completely greece egyptian subjects revolted indefinitely greek expedition died whilst preparing march egypt throne persia passed son crushed egyptian revolt quickly restarted preparations invasion greece scale invasion required long term planning stock conscription decided allow army cross europe canal dug rounding persian fleet destroyed feats exceptional ambition contemporary state early preparations complete army mustered marched europe crossing bridges preparing war decision taken guidance politician build massive fleet necessary greeks fight manpower fight land sea require alliance states sent ambassadors greece asking earth water deliberate omission athens support began leading states congress city states met late autumn confederate alliance formed power send envoys asking assistance dispatch troops member states defensive points joint consultation remarkable greek world especially city states attendance technically war initially congress agreed defend narrow borders block advance warned alexander bypassed pass modern village army overwhelming greeks retreated shortly received news crossed second strategy adopted allies route southern greece require army travel narrow pass easily blocked greek despite overwhelming numbers furthermore prevent bypassing sea allied navies block straits dual strategy adopted congress cities fall plans defend come whilst women children athens evacuated city famously smaller greek army held pass days mountain path greek army retreated continued block pass surrounded killed simultaneous point stalemate news reached allied fleet retreated holding straits point prelude allied fleet sailed assist final evacuation athens route left inscriptions addressed greek crews persian fleet springs water stop asking defect allied cause following persian army proceeded burn sack cities surrendered marching evacuated city athens allies prepared defend single road led building wall strategy flawed allied fleet able prevent persian fleet transporting troops council war called evacuation athens complete naval commander argued fleet assemble coast order achieve blockade argued favour offensive strategy aimed decisively destroying naval superiority drew lessons pointing battle close conditions works advantage eventually won allied navy remained coast time line difficult establish certainty presents battle occurred directly capture athens explicitly states occurred september case probably likely spent weeks capturing athens fleet clearly point capturing athens held council war persian fleet says occurred queen commander naval squadron fleet tried convince wait allies surrender believing battle straits unnecessary risk chief advisor pressed attack difficult explain exactly eventually brought battle assuming simply attacked clearly point battle new information began reach allied command wished evacuate alleged rift allies simply ruse order lure battle alternatively change attitude allies waited coast week athens captured response persian offensive maneuvers possibly persian army sent march order test nerve fleet way received news ordered fleet patrol coast blocking southern exit dusk ordered withdraw possibly order allies hasty evacuation evening attempted appears successful use sent servant message proclaiming king prefers affairs prevail claimed allied command fighting planning evacuate night gain victory need block straits performing trying bring exactly opposite lure persian fleet straits exactly kind news wanted hear willing submit able destroy rest allied fleet evidently took bait persian fleet sent evening effect block ordered throne set slopes overlooking straits order watch battle clear point record names commanders performed particularly according allies spent evening debating course action favour evacuating point attempted ruse exiled general arrived night followed news deployment persian fleet accepted escape fight party accept fight allied navy able prepare properly battle forthcoming day whilst spent night sea searching alleged greek evacuation morning sailed straits attack greek fleet clear decision clear battle allies opposing forces greek fleet reports allied fleet breaks numbers city state indicated table numbers individual contingents add explicitly fought came war providing total number ships seventy says manned ships guarded land fought thirty supposed difference numbers accounted garrison ships left according ships defected greeks total complement according playwright actually fought greek fleet numbered difference number ships claims fleet numbered ties numbers according greek fleet numbered fleet effectively command nominally led nobleman agreed congress tried claim leadership fleet city states navies objected naval tradition given command fleet compromise plain numbers represent indicated persian fleet according persian fleet initially numbered lost approximately ships storm coast storm coast ships allied action battle claims losses replaced mentions ships greeks nearby islands reinforcements fought claims faced warships fast ships independently claim ships persian fleet assembled spring number outset given teacher claims gives number ships speaking general terms refers ships number appears early historical record greeks appear genuinely believed faced ships consistency ancient sources modern historians inclined accept size initial persian fleet reject number seen reference combined greek fleet generally claim launched warships appear accept ships favour number range range given adding approximate number persian ships reinforcements strategic tactical considerations overall persian strategy invasion greeks massive invasion force complete conquest greece single campaigning season conversely greeks sought best use numbers defending restricted locations field long possible obviously anticipated resistance arrived earlier campaigning season waited days greeks disperse time essence huge invasion force reasonably supported indefinitely probably wish fringe empire long shown frontal assault defended greek position useless allies dug little chance conquering rest greece land equally demonstrated greeks smaller numbers troops destroyed required use persian navy destruction allied navy destroy allied navy strong position force greek surrender hope concluding campaign season conversely avoiding destruction hoped persian fleet greeks effectively invasion strategically necessary actually fight battle according queen pointed run suggested fighting sea unnecessary risk recommending instead hurry fight sea ships stay near land advance lord easily accomplish mind coming able hold long time flee cities persian fleet large bottle allied navy straits send ships land troops final sides prepared stake naval battle hope decisively altering course war significant tactical advantage allies having better sailing ships better sailing mentions probably superior crews ships majority fleet newly built according request build fleet inexperienced crews important note despite inexperienced crew newly constructed ultimately prove crucial forthcoming conflict persia common naval tactics mediterranean area time equipped ram bows boarding ship borne marines essentially turned sea battle land greeks time begun use known entirely clear probably involved sailing gaps enemy ships maneuver required skilled sailing likely employ allies developed tactics specifically counter debate nature allied fleet compared persian fleet centres suggestion allied ships heavier source uncertain possibly allied ships construction ships water logged dried winter real evidence suggestion suggestion caused weight fully armored marines fully armored weighed tons cause reduce likelihood employing probable allies extra marines board ships boarding main tactic available cost making ships heavier refers greeks capturing ships sinking suggested weight allied ships stable winds coast susceptible liable sustain damage rammed speaking battle open sea superior numbers count greeks realistic hope decisive victory draw area numbers count little battle seen attempts persian advantage numbers ultimately allies realised needed channel order defeat sailing attack greeks playing allies hands probable attempted confident collapse allied navy appears played key role balance favor greeks unnecessary battle strategic mistake battle actual battle described ancient sources unlikely involved battle clear idea happening width straits follows discussion definitive account allied fleet left right probably says contingents center allied fleet probably formed ranks straits narrow single line ships allied fleet line running north south probably northern flank coast modern day southern flank coast suggests allied fleet aligned east west spanning straits unlikely allies rested flanks persian occupied territory relatively certain persian fleet sent block exit straits evening battle clearly believed persian fleet actually entered straits nightfall planning catch allies fled modern historians greatly debated point pointing difficulties maneuvering confined space night accepting version possibilities night simply blocked exit straits entered straits daylight entered straits positioned battle night regardless attempted likely fleet tip initial east west alignment blocking exit came round north south alignment persian fleet formed ranks ships according powerful fleet right flank contingent left flank contingents centre says egyptian fleet sent block northern exit straits wanted trap allies completely maneuver sense especially expecting allies fight mention possibly alludes egyptian presence main battle leading modern historians dismiss accept possibility positioned troops island known middle exit straits order kill capture greeks ended result grounding opening phase regardless time entered straits attack allies daylight planning flee allies able spend night preparing battle speech marines boarded ships ready sail according dawn allies putting sea immediately attacked entered straits dawn allies time station orderly fashion claims approached possibly implying straits dawn heard greeks singing battle hymn saw allied fleet recounts according battle began hoisted sails began sailing away battle northwards straits says greeks denied story fact occur possible interpretation ships sent northern exit straits case arrival egyptian detachment imminent occurred possibility exclusive departure triggered final approach suggesting allied fleet rate left soon returned battle approaching allied fleet crowded straits appear cramped narrow waters apparent far greek fleet lined ready attack attacking immediately allies initially appeared ships away fear according gain better position order gain time early morning wind recounts legend fleet backed away seen woman asking far ships suggests whilst allies backing water single ship shot forward ram nearest persian vessel claim ship claim ships greek line followed suit straight persian battle line main battle details rest battle generally involved view entire battlefield generally armed large ram possible sink enemy ship disable banks initial successful marines boarded enemy ship similar land battle ensued sides marines ships greeks fully armed probably lightly armed infantry battlefield line persian ships pushed greeks advancing second lines ships greek left persian admiral brother killed early battle left squadrons appear pushed coast vessels running aground centre wedge greek ships pushed lines splitting fleet according killed greek attempted board ship hit spears thrust sea mention recognized body floating brought recounts queen commander contingent found pursued ship desire escape attacked rammed persian vessel convincing captain ship ally accordingly abandoned chase looking thought successfully attacked allied ship seeing poor performance captains commented men women women men friendly ship sank ship king greek crew ship survived persian fleet began retreat according ambushed tried leave straits remaining persian ships harbour shelter persian army general took detachment men slaughter garrison left exact persian casualties mentioned claims year persian fleet numbered number losses depends number ships persian begin range likely based estimates size persian fleet according suffered casualties greeks know swim sitting throne witnessed ship wrecked captains tried blame end battle foul mood having witnessed ship capture ship beheaded noble men according death chiefly responsible beginning flight threatened visit rest punishment deserved causing sail asia night fell aftermath immediate aftermath attempted build bridge causeway straits order use army attack greek fleet patrolling straits proved futile tells held council war persian general tried light defeat greatly distressed things wood issue hangs men horses desire let attack wait best said resolved lead army away plan king laughing stock greeks suffered harm fault brave men disaster way blame guided resolved remain march greater army deliver thousand host choose fearing greeks attack bridges trap army europe resolved taking greater army troops remain greece taking elite infantry units cavalry complete conquest greece persian forces abandoned able return burnt city winter following year recaptured athens allied army preferring guard allies leadership eventually agreed try force battle marched retreated lure greeks open terrain sides eventually met near city razed previous year battle greek army won decisive victory destroying persian army ending invasion greece whilst near simultaneous allied fleet destroyed remaining persian fleet significance battle marked turning point persian wars extension greece entity safe conquest suffered major blow prestige morale severe material losses following battles threat conquest removed allies able counter offensive greek victory allowed revolt persian rule years finally removed persian control allies dominated successor started decisive swing balance power greeks eventual greek victory severely reducing persian power like gained legendary status unlike instance decisive desperate circumstances unlikely odds significant number historians stated significant battles human history stated marathon extreme form argument historians argue greeks lost ensuing conquest greece effectively growth know view based premise modern western society philosophy science personal freedom democracy rooted legacy school thought argues given domination modern history persian domination greece changed trajectory human history worth mentioning celebrated hugely influential culture occurred persian wars won militarily difficult draw lessons uncertainty actually happened allies chose ground order persian numbers time unlike rely launching unnecessary attack position count brought attack important military lesson found use deception bring desired response enemy battle sea battle small fleet korean ships defeated far larger japanese invasion fleet ancient sources histories online version extract excerpt history laws modern sources burn persia greeks cambridge history iran volume median sources citation invention translated leeds moses introduction history war translated isbn green peter year london isbn green peter persian wars berkeley hardcover isbn paperback isbn culture landmark battles new_york hardcover isbn new_york anchor books paperback isbn greek nation vol editorial athens holland tom london isbn des defence greece isbn lee new_york_times november pipes david father history father lies archived original january retrieved barry naval encounter saved greece western civilization new_york simon hardcover isbn paperback isbn
Battle of Salamis