Importance Of Themistocles Decision To Build Triremes

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Historians have always debated whether humans or historical forces causes great historical changes. One of the humans who effected history was Themistocles, Themistocles was a great Athenian general and politician. When Themistocles was elected archon in 492 B.C., he convinced the Athens to make their naval power stronger. Themistocles helped Greeks defeat the Persian Empire in the Battle of Marathon, the Battle of Artemisium, and in the Battle of Salamis. Themistocles’ decision to build Triremes, to interpret the Oracle’s message, and to fight the Battle of Salamis demonstrates that human are the cause of great historical changes. Themistocles decided to convince the Athenians to use the money from the silver vein to build Triremes, which …show more content…

When the Persian Empire came back to attack the Greeks, Themistocles sent a messenger to Delphi for a prophecy. The Oracle’s message was very negative, the message stated that the Greeks are going to lose and their gods won’t even help them. The Greeks were starting to panic, but Themistocles stayed calm and sent the messenger back to Delphi for another prophecy. The second prophecy stated that only the wooden wall could help the Greeks defeat the Persian Empire. Greeks wondered what the wooden wall was, some suggested that it was the Acropolis at the center of Athens, but Themistocles’ had a different interpretation of the Oracle. Themistocles suggested that the wooden wall was the Triremes, the Triremes made it easier for the Greeks to fight the Persian Empire. Themistocles interpretation of the Oracle’s prophecy led to the use of the Triremes, which indicates that the influence of humans causes important historical changes because the Triremes were very important in the battle of Salamis. Themistocles made another significant decision at the Battle of