Essay On Themistocles

Themistocles contribution to the defense of Greece was more significant than any other Greek individual? To what extent do you agree?

Themistocles was the creator of the Athenian sea power and also the chief savior of Greece from the subjection to the Persian Empire in the battle of Salamis in 480 BCE (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). He had partaken in the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, Artemisium, and Salamis. There were no records of his participation in the battle of Marathon (Ancient Greek Battles, 2012) but there were records of his participation in the other battles. During each battle, he had aided the defense against the Persians. Not all of the battles were won though.

A decade after the battle of Marathon there were preparations

The Greeks had a fleet of 271 triremes, more than half being Athenian. The general officer in command was Eurybiades, who was provided by the Spartans. Upon arrival at Artemisium the Greeks found a large Persian fleet. The Euboeans had bribed with thirty talents to stay long enough for everyone to evacuate. This bribe was the Euboeans way of ensuring that the Greeks would stay as they evacuated. Themistocles had thought of the bribe as a present to himself (Herodotus, 2003, p.g 502). Then sharing a sixth of the talents with Eurybiades had secured the fleet staying on the coast and fighting (Herodotus, 2003, p.g 502). Another of the commanders, Adeimantus, hesitated with staying and declared he would withdraw his ships. This provoked Themistocles’

The Greeks ships then begun and move backwards, drawing the Persians in further (Battle of Salamis, 2016). For this strategy and the victory at Salamis, it was Themistocles, who was given the most credit (Antiquity 2, 2000, p.g 240). Before the battle even started there was a conference, as Themistocles knew that the Peloponnesians would outvote him he snuck away. He had sent a man over to the Persian fleet on a boat with instructions on what to say when he got there. He had