The Battle of Artemisium

The Persians, seeing the Greeks coming at them and sure of their own success, went out to surround the enemy. At the first sign of action, the Greeks "formed into a close circle--bows outward, sterns to the center, then. . . with little room to maneuver and lying. . . bows on to the enemy (VIII, 11)," quickly capturing thirty ships. With darkness approaching, the Greeks and the Persians each retired to their ports.

The Persians were shocked at the strength of the little Greek fleet. That night a summer storm swept through, and the squadron sailing around Euboea was "overpowered and forced to run blind before it piled up on the rocks (VIII, 13)," and was lost. The next day, the Greeks, with 53 ships fresh from Athens, set out to attack the Persians with the happy knowledge of the loss of 200 Persian ships.

Finally, on the next day, the Persians were angered enough by the Greeks to take the initiative and set out towards Artemisium. "It so happened that these battles at sea took place on the same days as the battles at Thermopylae, and in each case the objective was similiar--to defend the passage into the heart of Greece (VIII, 15)." The Persian fleet moved forward and formed a crescent shape so that they might surround the Greeks. In turn, the Greeks themselves moved forward and the fighting began. Here "the two fleets were evenly matched--the Persian, by its mere size, proving its own greatest enemy, as constant confusion was caused by ships fouling each another (VIII, 16)." For both sides the battle was rough, but the Persians suffered the worst of the damage. Both the Greeks and the Persians happily left each other after the battle and regrouped at their moorings.

Click here for the parallel diary of the Battle of Thermopylae and the Battle of Artemisium.

The Greeks Retreat

Messengers arrived from Themopylae after the battle and with the report of defeat there, the Greeks immediately retreated from Artemisium "the Corinthians leading, and the Athenians bringing up the rear (VIII, 21)." Along the way, Themistokles chalked messages into the rocks at watering holes in hopes of encouraging the Ionians and Carians to desert the Persians.

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