Naval Battle Of Artemisium

August, 11, 480 B.C.:
Naval Battle Of Artemisium

By: Mir M.Hosseini

The naval battle of Artemisium took place between a Greek alliance and Iranians while the battle at Thermopylae was still being fought. Euribiades, the Spartan commander decided to attack the Iranian navy with 127 triremes thinking that this would stop the food supply to the Iranian army which was proceeding along the shore. He was unaware of the defeat of Leonidas in Thermopylae.
First engagements happened off the coast of Thessaly. The Iranian fleet outnumbered the Greeks and soon the battle turned into chasing Greek triremes around islands. When the night fell, a violent storm destroyed around 200 Persian naval units. Encouraged by this incidents, the Greeks sent more ships the following day. The battle continued in the strait of Artemisium. Heavy casualties were inflicted on both sides. The news of defeat in Thermopylae arrived and demoralized the Greeks who had already lost almost half of their naval forces so far. The remaining Greek forces fled towards south and Artemisium was captured. Athens fell at the same time and Athenians fled to the Salamis island to regroup.

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KEY TERMS:Artemis , Artemisium , Athens , Euribiades , Greek , Iran , Iranian , Leonidas , Persia , Persian , Salamis , Sparta , Thermopylae , Thessaly

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