Themistocles

Statue of Themistocles

Handmade of alabaster,and painted in museum coloured  patina.

Themistocles (c. 524 – c. 460 BCE) was an Athenian statesman and general (strategos) whose emphasis on naval power and military skills were instrumental during the Persian wars, victory in which ensured that Greece survived its greatest ever threat. As the historian Thucydides stated in his History of the Peloponnesian War, ‘Themistocles was a man who exhibited the most indubitable signs of genius; indeed, in this particular he has a claim on our admiration quite extraordinary and unparalleled.’ (1.138.3). A brilliant strategist and canny politician he was perhaps a little too thirsty for glory and power for his own good but Themistocles was, without doubt, one of the most important and colourful figures of Classical Athens.

The Battle of Salamis

In August 480 BCE the Persian army was met at the mountain pass of Thermopylae by a small band of Greeks led by Spartan King Leonidas. They held the pass for three days. At the same time the Greeks, with the Athenian contingent led by Themistocles, managed to hold off the Persians at the indecisive naval battle at Artemision.  Such was Themistocles’ faith in his naval supremacy he ordered the abandonment of Athens..

The combined Greek fleet, meanwhile, re-grouped in September at Salamis in the Saronic Gulf, west of Piraeus. The fleet included ships from some 30 city-states, notably from Corinth and Aegina, and made up a total of some 300 ships. Themistocles commanded the Athenian contingent, by far the largest in the fleet with perhaps 200 ships. The Persian fleet, although greatly exaggerated by ancient writers, was probably larger with around 500 ships.

The victory of the stradegy of Themistocles

When daylight came the battle commenced. The Greeks held back and drew the bigger Persian fleet into the narrow straits. In addition, Themistocles knew that at a certain time of day a breeze and heavy swell would come .  And the Persians would be unprepared for this.   In the confusion, the Persians had no maneuverability. Their space was further limited by more of their ships coming in from their rear.  And their sailors had no shore to retreat to after their vessel was sunk, unlike the Greeks. Picking off the Persian ships one at a time , they were fighting for their lives and their way-of-life.  The Greeks were victorious. Themistocles was treated as a hero and even given honours by Athens’ great rival city Sparta.