Herodotus

Book VIII
 Book VIII: Urania (Οὐρανία)
Outline
1-26 Battle of Artemisium
27-39 Persians at Boeotia and Delphi
40-69 Attica
70-83 Greek Preparations
84-96 Battle of Salamis
97-144 Aftermath

Urania, Muse of Astronomy

 Battle of Artemisium [1-26]
Herodotus gives the number of the Greek fleet as about 271
ships under the command of the Spartan Eurybiades. Before
the battle, Themistocles had to bribe Eurybiades, another
example of the lack of central command hierarchy on the
Greek side [1-5]. This battle took place during the same
three days as the Battle of Thermopylae.
On the first day, the Persians sent a detachment to sail
around Euboea and outflank the Greek navy. Meanwhile, the
Greek engaged the rest of the Persian fleet, capturing about
thirty vessels. That night, a storm wrecked the Persian’s
flanking squadron. The Greeks learned of this on the second
day, stood their ground, and destroyed some Cilician ships.
On the third day, the Persians attacked en masse, damaging
half the Athenian contingent. Upon hearing of the fall of
Leonidas at Thermopylae, the Greeks retreated.
During the retreat, the inscription of Themistocles was
carved [22].
 Persians on the March
Following Thermopylae, the Persian army
resumed its march through Northern
Greece. Along the way, it subdued Phocis
with Thessalian assistance [27-33]. They
marched through Boeotia, which was allied
with Persia and set their sights on Delphi.
Herodotus records a tradition that the
Persians were driven from Delphi via
divine intervention [35-39]. The Persian
Temple of Apollo at Delphi
army then resumed its march, subduing
Attica on its way to Athens. [50].
 Fall of Athens, September 480 BCE
Following Artemisium, the Greek fleet
retreated to the island of Salamis. The
Athenian fleet docked at Phalerum, the port of
Athens at the time to begin evacuating the city
[40-41].
When the Persian arrived, they made camp
near the Areopagus (Hill of Ares) and laid in
for a siege. Some Athenians remained on the
Acropolis but the Persians soon took it and
The Second Parthenon burned the temples there, including the Old
Parthenon [52-55]. With the sacking of
Athens, the Persians controlled most of
Greece save for the Isthmus and Peloponnese.
 Interlude
After the fall of Athens, the Greeks debated
whether or not to flee Salamis and take up a
defensive position along the Isthmus. It was argued
that if the fleet dispersed, there would be no
central force to oppose the Persians as each city
would pursue its own interest. The Greeks resolved
to stay [56-63].
Meanwhile, the Persian fleet put into Phalerum.
While there, Xerxes inspected his forces and
Queen Artemisia argued against a naval
engagement [66-69].
The Persian Army in the meantime marched on the Queen Artemisia
Isthmus which was heavily fortified and guarded Artist Unknown, held in Getty
by troops from all over the Peloponnese [70-74]. Collection
 Battle of Salamis, September 480 BCE
The Greek naval forces at Salamis are described by Herodotus in chapters 42-48; the total is 380 ships
after defection of the Tenians.
Another debate broke out among the Greeks, so Themistocles resorted to stratagem. He sent a messenger
to the Persians, indicating Eurybiades’ desire to defect. Upon hearing this, the Persians put out to sea,
encircling the Greek fleet. The Greek were informed of this by Aristides and some Tenian defectors and so
resolved to fight [75-83].
The Greeks put to sea and the Persians attacked them immediately [84]. Herodotus’ analysis of the battle is
rather sparse, saying the Greek won due to superior discipline and tactics while the Persian fleet became
disorganized due to bickering between the Phoenicians and Ionians and was picked off one by one [86;
90]. He also mentions the Persians took so many casualties due to not knowing how to swim [89].
Queen Artemisia earns a special mention for her actions during the battle [87-88]. At one point, the
Persians attempted to flee for Pharelum but a fleet from Aegina had blockaded the straits, trapping the
enemy between them and the Athenians [91]. There is also an Athenian account of the Corinthian
detachment attempting to flee the battle at the beginning but a lone fisherman chastised the Corinthian
commander so he turned his fleet around and rejoined the battle. Herodotus also records that the
Corinthians deny this account [94]. Finally, the Athenian Aristides led an infantry contingent to the island
of Psyttaleia, which the Persians had occupied and massacred all of them [95].
Die Seeschlacht bei Salamis, Wilhelm von Kaulbach, 1868
 Aftermath of Salamis
The immediate outcome of the battle of Salamis was Xerxes decision to personally withdraw back to Asia
and then to his court at Susa. His reasoning was that with the Greeks winning naval supremacy, they could
destroy the bridge at the Hellespont and trap him in Greece [97].
Consulting his advisors, including Mardonius, he discussed his course of action. Artemisia advised him to
return home and leave an army in Greece to finish the conquest [102]. He assigned Artemisia to take some of
his children back to Ephesus. She was accompanied by the eunuch Hermotimus who had a rather sinister
reputation [105-106]. Xerxes placed Mardonius in charge of the army and left immediately [107].
For their part, the Greek decided not to sail for the bridge. It was argued that if they destroyed the Persians’
escape route, they would remain in Greece and eventually win. The Greeks pressed their advantage, laying
siege to Andros which refused to give Athens financial support for the war. Themistocles led that siege and
also extorted Paros and Carystus. When he could not take Andros, he successfully besieged the latter.
Bickering over the prizes led to the Greek alliance falling out momentarily [108-112; 121-125]. The
Athenians also returned home as the Persians abandoned Attica completely.
Having been granted command of the Persian Army, Mardonius escorted Xerxes back to Asia then picked
300k troops to remain with him. He wintered in Boeotia during which time his general Artabazus laid siege
to Olynthus and Potidaea [126]. As for Mardonius, he spent the winter consulting oracles and unsuccessfully
attempting to ally with Athens. He enlisted King Alexander I of Macedon, a Persian vassal at the time, for
this gambit but it was rebuffed [133-144].