Salamis. Greece, beach holidays in greece, islands of greece Island of salamis on the map of ancient greece
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A visit to this amazing country will leave indelible, pleasant memories in your soul. The trip will be an extraordinary event, even for the most sophisticated traveler. Greece is the cradle of Western European civilization. The influence of its ancient culture on the modern world is undeniable.
Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games, it was in this country, more than two and a half thousand years ago, that the concept of democracy appeared. But even if you are absolutely not interested in the history of Greece, the sun, sea and air will still be able to touch the strings of your soul, because this country is impossible not to fall in love with. The colorfulness of customs, traditions, the richness of nightlife and amazing cuisine, everything is created in order to bring joy to those who enter this land - the colors of ripe wine.
Greece is located in the southeast of Europe and occupies the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. Administratively, Greece is divided into 52 nomes (regions), which, in turn, are divided into 264 dimes (districts). In addition, the country is divided into several historical and geographical regions.
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Mainland Greece: Attica (Athens), Central Greece (Sterea Hellas), Peloponnese , Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, on the territory of which the peninsula of Chalkidiki, Thrace is located.
Island Greece:
Crete - the island is located on the Mediterranean Sea, where the best resorts in Greece are located. It is the largest and most picturesque among the other Greek islands.
Ionian Islands: Kerkyra (Corfu), Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Ithaca, Paxi.
Saronic Islands: Solomina, Aegina, Poros, Hydra and Spetses.
Aegean islands: Euboea (Evia) - is the second largest island in Greece, located on the east coast, its mainland.
Northern Sporades: Skyros, Skopelos, Jura.
Cyclades: a total of 39 islands that form a ring. Main islands: Amorgos, Andros, Ios, Kea, Kythnos, Myloe, Naxos, Paros, Serifos, Sifnos, Thira (Santorini).
Southern Sporades(Dodecanese): Rhodes, Astypalea, Karpathos, Kos, Leros, Patmos, Tilos. in the Aegean Sea - in its northeastern part, in addition to these archipelagos, there are five more large islands - Lemnos, Lesbos, Chios, Samos and Ikaria.
Islands of Greece - It is considered to be the best of all holiday destinations on the entire globe, and this is quite true, since these picturesque fairy-tale islands have an extraordinary beauty of nature that will captivate you with the brightness of colors and magnificent landscapes. On the islands you will find gentle, azure clear sea, sandy sparkling beaches and all kinds of entertainment. In addition to the most famous islands - Crete, Corfu and Rhodes, in Greece there are several more wonderful places - islands, they are not so popular, but they are also known for their individual characteristics that attract tourists from all over the world to them for vacation.
The Mediterranean climate prevails in the main territory of Greece. Dry hot summers and cool rainy winters, and the mountainous regions of the central part of the country are characterized by a temperate continental climate. The driest and hottest days are in July and August. At this time, the average air temperature in the lowlands is 25.5 °C - 28 °C, but often rises to 40 °C - 45 °C. But sea breezes noticeably soften the summer heat.
Salamina Island (Salamin) is a beautiful island just 30 minutes from Athens, the capital of Greece, where sandy beaches surrounded by cliffs, monasteries, museums, theaters and abundant forests await you - it seems that this piece of paradise has absolutely everything!
But, oddly enough, with all this, there are very few hotels on Salamis, and this island does not particularly shine with tourists. This is rather a place where the Greeks themselves, who live in Athens or Piraeus, like to come, there are many houses, holiday villages, villages and other settlements built up with villas and summer cottages.
Salamina- largest island Saronic Gulf, so it is unlikely that you will be able to see all the districts in one weekend. Nevertheless, going to Salamina, we advise you to definitely visit local attractions, for example, Faneromeni nunnery of the 17th century, or Museum folk art and history with an excellent collection of Mycenaean ceramics and models of ships of the ancient fleet.
Salamis also has Cave of Euripides, in which the allegedly famous playwright liked to retire and compose his masterpieces. By the way, the length of the cave is about 50 meters, and it was built on a rock over 115 meters high! Another building named after the ancient Greek tragedian - Euripides theater, on the stage of which today are regularly arranged theatrical performances, concerts and festivals. The theater is located on the outskirts of the capital of the island - the city of the same name, Salamina.
You can see ancient churches and old houses in the harbors of Ambelakia in the suburbs of the capital. And the city of Ambelakia is considered the oldest on the island. Here you will see ruins of the ancient Acropolis, churches of the 16th century., as well as the valley where the famous Battle of Salamis.
And, of course, do not miss the opportunity to walk in the shade of the wonderful coniferous forests, and there are two of them on Salamis - cozy and deserted Faneromeni and Kanakion, which is in great demand among lovers of cycling. The latter also often hosts cycling competitions.
Salamis also has secluded beaches with sandy coastlines, on which there are many fish taverns and small restaurants. By the way, be sure to dine in one of them, because Salamis annually produces the largest amount of fish and seafood in Greece, which form the basis of the diet of local residents.
Most of these equipped sandy beaches are located in the southern part of the island, since the north of Salamina is considered an industrial area, and therefore not the cleanest. And the best beaches of the island are considered Kaki Vigla, Faneromeni, Suterli, Selinia, Kanakia and Peristeria.
Antique Salamis(or Salamis, other Greek. Σαλαμίς) is the most interesting and visited attraction of Northern Cyprus. Here, better than anywhere else on the island, you can get acquainted with the real life of the ancient Greeks and Romans. First excavations on the territory of this city began in 1880, and do not stop to this day. Salamis is located 8 kilometers north of modern Famagusta (Northern Cyprus) at the mouth of the Pedieos River.
After the end of the Trojan War, Teucer returned to his home, on the island of Salamis (16 km from Athens in Greece), bringing to his father, King Telamon, the news of the death of his brother, Ajax the Great. Telamon then cursed Teucer because he was unable to either protect his brother or avenge his death to Odysseus. Talamon decided that Teucer abandoned Ajax at the moment of danger because he wanted to become the first contender for the possession of the kingdom of Salamis, and because of this father forever forbade his son to return to the island. Humiliated, Teucer boarded a ship with his soldiers and sailed to Cyprus, hoping that it would become his new home. On the way, the ship lost its course and, after wandering around the Mediterranean for several days, Tevkr landed on the coast of Egypt. He heard that the prophetess Theonoah lived here, who was born with knowledge of everything that exists and the future, and he wanted to find out from her the way to Cyprus. Walking down the street, he came across a beautiful woman Elena who asked him "who are you and where are you going?". Tevkr told her about his participation in the Trojan War and that he had been expelled from his native island by his father. He also told her that he was sailing to Cyprus, but he lost his way, so looking for Theon to show him the shortest way to the island. Elena said that he should leave Egypt as soon as possible, since the ruler, the son of Proteus, kills all the Greeks whose foot steps on Egyptian soil (in this version, Paris stole the ghost of Elena the Beautiful, and she herself lived in Egypt all this time). Elena showed Tevkru the way to Cyprus, where he sailed and founded New Salamis.
The earliest finds in Cyprus date back to the 11th century BC. (Late Bronze Age). Copper ore was mined here and transported to Europe. Children's burials in Canaanite vessels testify to the presence of Phoenicians (immigrants from Canaan) on the island. In 877 B.C. the Assyrian army first entered the Mediterranean, and there is evidence that as early as 708 BC. the city-states of Cyprus paid tribute to their king Sargon II (ruled 722-705).
Development and decline of Salamis
Cypriots under the leadership of King Onesil rebelled against Persian domination in 498 - 497 BC (this was only one of the Ionian uprisings). At first they were lucky, but, in the end, the rebels were defeated and Cyprus was again part of the Persian Empire of the Ahmenids.
Salamis later supported Alexander the Great in the war with the Persians and in 331 BC. the whole island came under his rule. After his death in 323 B.C. his heirs (Diadochi), Demetrius I Poliorketes and Ptolemy I, began the struggle for Salamis. Demetrius, in the end, in the "battle of Salamis", which took place both on water and on land, he defeated Ptolemy's troops and conquered Cyprus.
In 58 B.C. Cyprus has become Roman province.
After the first Jewish uprising against the Roman yoke in Palestine (66 - 70), Cyprus in general, and Salamis in particular, many Jews moved(About this time St. Barnabas lived here).
After the destruction of part of the city, Salamis began a rapid decline.
In the 4th century emperor Constantius II(317 - 361) built a small but beautiful town on the ruins of Salmin, which he called "Constance".
The ruins of Salamis today
The road from the ticket booth leads to the eastern part of the gymnasium with a marble swimming pool. swimming pool surrounded by headless sculptures. Especially here stands out the sculpture of Persephone, made of black marble. All of them were beheaded with the reign of Christianity on the island, as they were considered remnants of paganism. Greek gymnasium was an educational institution in which young people developed both intellectually and physically. It is believed that there were three such gymnasiums in Salamis - two for boys and one for girls.
If you stand facing the pool with sculptures, then the entrance to the traditional Roman baths will be on the right ( baths) with all their departments (see plan): two frihydrariums - cold halls with small octagonal pools; between which, probably, there was a tepidarium - a warm, dry room; further on was the caldarium - a large pool of hot water; and on its sides - two sudatoria - large steam rooms; in the northern part of the term there was a prefurnium - a stove for heating water. As with all terms, under the floor and in the walls they had pipes through which hot steam or hot water was supplied, depending on the hall. The baths were probably also built during the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD).
The most notable building here is a reconstructed Roman theatre(63 BC - 14 AD), which could accommodate up to 15,000 spectators. The diameter of his orchestra (semicircular performance area) was 27 meters, the length of the skene (back wall) was 40 meters, and its height was 22 meters. A horizontal passage divided the auditorium (theatron) into two levels, and eight radial stairs into 14 sections. In the skene, there were probably niches with statues, and in front of it - altar of Dionysus, to which sacrifices were made before performances.
Continuing straight down the street past the theater, you can get into the second most important area of the ruins of Salamis. It starts with what appears to have been square and fish market, from which began paved with stone slabs columned street, which went deep into Salamis during its heyday (“cardo maximus” went in the north-south direction and “decumanus maximus” in the west-east direction). The vast ruins near the square are the Roman baths, which consisted of the same departments as the baths at the gymnasium. Walking along the columned street on the right side, before crossing with a modern dirt road, you can see another big tank under water. After crossing this street will continue until the fork of five roads. On the street parallel to it are the ruins of a two-story small Roman villa which are best seen on the way back.
At the intersection of five roads you need to go straight. These will be two more large areas of the ruins of Salamis.
Near the wall at the intersection of roads is " granite forum», which was named so in 1890 by British archaeologists from pink marble columns brought here from Egypt. On its territory, on the left side of the road, there will be unidentified ruins and ancient water clock by the reflection of the stars in which at night it was possible to judge the time (now they look like the upper part of a large round stone well).
After inspecting the port, you need to return to the fork and go towards the entrance to the archaeological park of Salamina. First, on the right and left side, there will be unidentified ruins, which are larger in area than the neighboring basilica and Roman baths combined.
Obviously, Salamis is not even half excavated, and archaeologists have yet to make many interesting finds in it.
Location: Approximately 8 km north of Famagusta (Northern Cyprus)
Name in Turkish: Salamis Antik Kenti
Working hours: September 16 - May 31: daily, from 9:00 to 17:00 June 1 - September 15: daily, from 9:00 to 19:00
Website: No
Coordinates: 35.185176, 33.902514 GPS: 35°11’06.6″N 33°54’09.1″E
Reviews: Tickets are sold at the entrance. Little has been preserved here, so Salamis is only for those tourists who are interested in history and can imagine the scope of the ancient city. So far, it is not forbidden to climb the ruins. Near a good beach.
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Salamina is the largest island of the Saronic Gulf and has the highest population density compared to all the Greek islands. This is due to the proximity of the island to Athens, only 15 minutes and you are already on Salamis, if the starting point is the port of Perama.
Salamina is rich in historical events taking place here in different eras. First of all, the island is known for the naval battle that took place in 480 BC, when the Greek fleet under the command of Themistocles defeated the huge Persian army led by Xerxes.
In ancient times, Salamina was known under the name Kouluri (donut), from the peculiar shape of the island.
Salamis is the birthplace of the ancient Greek poet and playwright Euripides and the residence of the Greek poet Angelos Sikelianos, who between 1933 and 1950 lived and glorified the history of his people in this house.
During the revolution of 1821, Salamis was the headquarters of the Greek uprising, one of the greatest fighters of the revolution, Karaikakis, is buried here.
In the northeast of Salamina are the objects of the naval base.
Attractions of the island of Salamina:
Tomb of the Battle of Salamis
Faneromeni Monastery, 17th century
Church of St. George
Theater of Euripides
Cave of Euripides
Chapel of St. Gregory 12th century
Museum of Folklore and Art
Archaeological Museum
The good beaches of Salamina are located on the opposite coast from the pier, i.e. the northern coast of the island is industrial, in the southern part of the island, in clear sea waters, you will find equipped beaches. In order to get to them, you will have to use a taxi or a bus.
Many Athenians have country houses on Salamis, so during the summer season, the population increases from thirty-five thousand to three hundred thousand.
On the coast, there are traditional Greek taverns serving Greek cuisine and freshly caught fish.
Cafeterias, bars and nightlife of Salamina will be of interest to those who like to have fun.
Useful phone numbers of Salamina:
port of Salamina +30 210 4651100
port of Perama +30 210 4419441
port of Piraeus +30 210 4511310-7
Faneromeni Monastery +30 210 4681861
According to legend, on the day when Euripides was born, Aeschylus participated in a naval battle against the Persians, and the young man Sophocles greeted the winners of this battle.
The scene of these real events, uniting the names of the three great playwrights of Ancient Greece, is the island of Salamina, a favorite vacation spot for the residents of the capital.
The main advantage of Salamis is its proximity to the capital and at the same time the atmosphere of a small, cozy island with beaches and groves, restaurants and taverns near the sea, where excellent fish dishes and all kinds of snacks are served.
Communication with Salamina is frequent, every 15 minutes a ferry departs from Peram (Piraeus) to Salamina, the ticket price is -0.80 euros (for a passenger), 4.50-5.70 euros for a car, and for a car driver -0, 40 euros. Cheaper than a public transport ticket!
Geography
Salamis is the largest island in the Argosaronic Gulf. Its area is 93.5 sq. km, and the coastline stretches for 100 km.
In its shape, the island of Salamina resembles a horseshoe or an unfinished ring. The island is located very close to the mainland, the northwestern part is separated by a strait 500 meters wide, and the eastern 1200 meters. The highest point of the island is Mount Mavrovuni - 365 meters. Salamina, as it were, is divided into two parts. The north (facing the mainland of Greece) is flat, with small hills rising up. South - with a predominant mountainous terrain. However, the main roads and settlements of this part of the island are located on flat areas. A significant part of the mountainous area is covered with pine forests.
Climate
The climate in Salamis is typically Mediterranean with cool winters and hot summers. Despite the fact that Salamis is separated from Athens by a small strait, the climate here is milder. The temperature on the island is noticeably different from the capital - in winter it is about 5 degrees warmer, and in summer - 5 degrees cooler. The hottest months are July and August. The swimming season lasts almost 5 months from mid-May to mid-October.
Population and tourism
31 thousand people live permanently on Salamis. But in recent years there has been a steady trend of increasing settlement of this island. The increase in the number of residents on weekends and holidays is especially noticeable, because most of the island is built up with country houses of the Athenians.
Mythology and history
According to Greek mythology, the name of the island was given by its first king Kykhrey in honor of his mother Salamina, one of the 50 daughters of the river god Asop.
King of Salamis - Ajax, took part in the Trojan War. Homer in The Iliad describes Ajax as the most fearless hero. He recaptured the body of Achilles, who died in battle, from the Trojans. However, by decision of the Greek leaders, the armor of the fallen hero went to Odysseus. Out of temper, Ajax in anger decided to kill the Achaeans, but the goddess Athena clouded his mind and he rushed at the rams, mistaking them for the Greek leaders. When he came to his senses, he committed suicide out of shame.
After the end of the Trojan War, Teucer and Ajax's son Eurysaces returned to Salamis. Teucer, expelled by his father for not avenging the death of his brother, went to Cyprus, where he founded a city named after his homeland - Salamis. Eurysaces' son, Phileas, became a citizen of Athens and gave the island of Salamis to the Athenians. During the wars with the Persians, Salamis provided invaluable assistance to her allies. In the strait near the island of Salamina in 480. BC. The famous Salamis naval battle took place.
The victory of the Greeks in this battle not only saved Greece from Persian enslavement, but gave a new impetus to the development of ancient Greek civilization and its spread in Europe. During the years of Turkish rule and the Greek Revolution, Salamis again, due to its geographical position, played an important role. Families of fighters for national independence took refuge here.
In 1823, the Provisional Government of insurgent Greece was located on Salamis, and in 1824 a government printing house. He was buried in the church of St. Demetrius in 1827. Hero of the Greek War of Independence G. Karaiskakis.
Traditions and customs
On the island of Salamina, in the last week before the Easter fast, an annual carnival with a traditional treat of sweet wine and local pies - pupek. On Fisherman's Day, usually held at the end of August, you can taste fish freshly caught in the sea, which is baked on coals right on the shore and served with wine.
In September, during the celebrations dedicated to the Battle of Salamis (“Salaminia”), a regatta, kayaking and canoeing, and other sports and cultural events.
From August 23 to 25, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God is honored in the historic monastery of the Apparition of the Virgin.
Attractions
Salamina. The city has been known since ancient times. Already in the 4th century BC. there was a city and a port. Numerous excavations on the island showed that the city was the center of trade and craft life. Occupying a strategic position, Salamina has long been a "bone of contention" between Athens and Megara.
During the Middle Ages, Salamina was ruled by Venetian and French barons. And during the years of the War of Independence, Salamina was a stronghold and shelter for Greek patriots.
It is now a modern city that combines old and new, neoclassical buildings from the early 20th century, side by side with modern maisonettes from the last decade. The embankment with the towering church of St. Nicholas and evergreen palm trees makes a special impression.
Endio. 6 km from the city of Salamina is the village of Eandio, the second most important settlement on the island. About 3 thousand people now live here. This is the place of country residences of many Athenians and prominent residents of Salamis. From here, through the pass and a huge pine forest, the road to Kanakya begins. From the top of the pass, a breathtaking fantastic panorama opens up. Eandio is famous for its beach and the many taverns, cafeterias and nightclubs along it.
Beaches
Kanakya beach. One of the most remote and picturesque beaches of Salamis. Located on the west coast of the island. Sea with a fairly flat, flat bottom. A pine forest descends to the shore.
The beach offers a view of two rocky islands protruding in the middle of a wide bay.
Zephyros beach. It is located in the central part of the island at the entrance to the village of Eandio. This is a well-equipped sand and pebble beach with umbrellas, sunbeds and showers. There are many taverns along the beach line. The beach has repeatedly received the Blue Flag.
Ilyakti beach. It is located in the northern part of the island in an elongated, fjord-shaped bay. It is a shallow beach with a sandy bottom, an ideal safe place for families with children. The water here warms up well and swimming is possible even in the cooler months.
Entertainment
Palm embankment The city of Salamina in the Agios Nikolaos area is familiar to the Athenians for its cozy taverns and cafeterias.
In summer, taverns open in all the famous coastal villages of the island, where you will have a great time admiring the sea.
For those who are young or feeling young, there are clubs, bars, as well as taverns with live Greek traditional music, where the fun continues until the early hours. Especially famous night clubs in the largest village of Eandio and in the Agios Nikolaos area of Salamina. Active guests can enjoy jogging or cycling in the forest near the village of Kanakia.
There is also a riding club on Salamis. In the summer are carried out sea excursions to the neighboring islands of Salamina - Aegina and Angistri.
Transport and movement
Getting to Salamina is very easy. Every 15 minutes a ferry leaves from the port of Perama, the journey time is 20 minutes.
Message around the clock. Also works boat line from Piraeus (40 minutes). There is also a ferry service from Megara (every 30 minutes, journey time 5 minutes).
Every village on the island can be reached by bus or at Taxi that depart from the port in Palukya.
Cuisine and food
Salamina is famous for its dishes from fish and seafood. You can visit the Fish Market (Ichthyoagora) where freshly caught fish and other gifts from the Aegean are offered.
From the traditional local cuisine, try Salami bread "plateci" and sweet pumpkin pie "guluari".
The fish restaurants in Salamina serve the freshest fish, squid- both fried and stuffed, as well as a wide variety of shellfish snacks.
Gourmets are well aware that the restaurateurs of Salamina serve their customers homemade salted and smoked fish, as well as stuffed potatoes, and sardines under the "fur coat" from all kinds of vegetables.
Who has watched this movie? Probably not many. Yes, and those (like me) watched it probably only because of the first part, in the hope of at least some kind of similarity. But that's not what it's about. It turns out that I didn't know the historical background of this film at all. Some percentage of it is still based on real historical events. And here they are.
The Battle of Salamis (480 BC) is a battle at sea that took place between the army of the Persians and the Greeks during the famous Greco-Persian War. The battle took place near the island of Salamis, which is located near Athens. According to some reports, the Greek fleet consisted of 311 or 380 ships, which were able to easily defeat a much larger fleet of 1,000 Persian ships in a narrow strait. It was the battle of Salamis that became the turning point in the course of the Greco-Persian wars.
Let's remember these historical events in more detail ...
The battle was preceded by a series of events that could significantly affect the further course of the war. The Persian army occupied and destroyed Athens. Residents of the city were previously evacuated to the nearby island of Salamis. The entire allied Greek fleet was concentrated in the narrow straits between the island and the mainland. There are different opinions about the number of both fleets, only the point of view is unchanged that the Persians had a numerical superiority. The most frequently mentioned figures are: approximately 310 Greek trireme rowing ships (according to Aeschylus - 311 ships, Herodotus - about 380), against 1200 Persian ones. However, the well-known Soviet historian, Professor S. Lurie, believes that no more than 500 Persian ships actually took part in the battle. But the following point should also be noted: the ships of the Persians were for the most part heavier and larger than the Greek ones. Naturally, there was no talk of any naval artillery in that era, the main means of fighting the enemy at sea were ramming and boarding (if the latter was successful, the enemy ship could be set on fire and sunk). So the size of the ship and the number of warriors that fit on it were essential.
Serious disagreements arose among the Hellenes. Most of the military leaders offered to leave Salamis and direct all forces to the defense of the Isthmus of Corinth. The Athenian strategist Themistocles pointed out that only in the conditions of narrow straits could the Greeks defeat the Persian fleet, which was superior both in the number of ships and in the quality of the training of sailors. Seeing the impossibility of influencing the decision of other military leaders, he decided on a trick. Having sent his trusted messenger to Xerxes, he ordered to tell him that the Greeks were going to flee, and if the king wants to destroy the Greek fleet, then he should immediately start the battle.
For the Greeks, the only possibility of a decisive naval victory was a battle in a narrow space, where the numerical superiority of the enemy was leveled. Entering the straits between the mainland and Salamis, the Persians deprived themselves of their advantages. For them, the beginning of the Battle of Salamis was a decisive strategic mistake that determined the outcome of the battle and the further course of the war.
The main source that has survived to this day, describing the sea battle at Salamis, is the VIII book of the "History" of Herodotus. Regardless of Herodotus, the event was described by Ctesias of Cnidus, who lived at the court of the Persian king Artaxerxes II, in his work “Persian History”. Of historical interest is also the tragedy "Persians" by the ancient Greek playwright and participant in the battle of Aeschylus. In it, a direct witness of the Battle of Salamis described his feelings from the death of the Persian fleet.
The battle of Salamis and other events of the Greco-Persian wars were given considerable attention by the ancient historians Diodorus, Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos who lived much later.
The Greek city-states of Athens and Eretria helped the related Greek cities of Ionia in their unsuccessful rebellion against the power of the Persian king Darius in 499-494 BC. e. The Persian Empire at that time was quite young. It was often shaken by uprisings of conquered peoples. The rebels, together with the Athenians, managed to capture and burn the important city of the empire and the capital of the satrapy of Sardis. Darius wanted to take revenge on the Greeks who participated in the uprising, who were not subject to him.
Darius also saw an opportunity to conquer the scattered ancient Greek cities. In 492 BC. e. During the military expedition of the Persian commander Mardonius, Thrace was conquered, Macedonia recognized the supreme power of the Persian king. Thus, the Persians provided their land army with a passage to the territory of Ancient Greece. In 491 BC. e. Darius sent envoys to all independent Greek cities demanding "land and water", which was consistent with submission and recognition of the power of the Persians. Realizing the strength and military power of the Achaemenid state, all the cities of ancient Hellas, except for Sparta and Athens, accepted humiliating demands. In Athens, the ambassadors were put on trial and executed. In Sparta, they were thrown into a well, offering to take earth and water from there.
In 490 BC. e. The Persian fleet under the command of Datis and Artaphernes was sent to conquer Athens. On the way to Athens, Eretria was conquered and destroyed. The army landed on the territory of Attica, but was defeated by the Athenians and Plataeans at the Battle of Marathon. After this unsuccessful expedition, Darius began to gather a huge army to conquer all of Greece. His plans were thwarted by an uprising in Egypt in 486 BC. e., and soon Darius died. The throne was taken by his son Xerxes. Having suppressed the Egyptian uprising, Xerxes continued to prepare for a campaign against Greece.
Themistocles came to power in Athens. The interval between the battle of Marathon and the invasion of Xerxes, the antiquarian Surikov calls the "epoch of Themistocles." While the Persians were gathering an army to conquer Hellas, the Athenian politician contributed to the creation of a powerful fleet. It was the custom of the Athenians to divide among themselves the profits from the silver mines at Lavrion. The state was the owner of these mines. After the fall of the tyrants, state property began to be considered the property of all citizens. If, after covering all state needs, significant amounts remained in the cash registers, then this surplus was divided among the Athenians. Themistocles offered to direct the funds received to the construction of ships. The proposal was received very ambiguously. By accepting it, every Athenian was deprived of a small, but sure, cash benefit provided by the state. Preparing ships for the war with the Persians, Themistocles understood that the Athenians would not agree with him, since they did not consider the barbarians defeated at Marathon to be a serious threat. Therefore, he convinced his fellow citizens that new ships and a powerful fleet were needed for the war with Aegina, an island that was in continuous war with Athens. It was this policy that ultimately led to the crushing defeat of Xerxes' army.
In 481 BC. e. Xerxes sent ambassadors to most of the Greek city-states demanding "land and water", except for Athens and Sparta. At the end of the autumn of 481 BC. e. A Greek assembly was held in Corinth. In the face of a common danger, an alliance was concluded on it and internecine wars were stopped. Embassies were sent to the Greek colonies asking for help. Technically, it was difficult to fulfill the resolutions of the all-Greek congress due to the fragmentation of the ancient Greeks, hostility between them and internecine wars.
In 480 BC. e. Xerxes' army began crossing from Asia to Europe. In addition to the land army, Xerxes had a powerful fleet equipped with coastal and island peoples that were part of his state.
Throughout the spring and summer of 480 BC. e. The campaign of the Persian army along the coast of the Aegean Sea continued. An attempt by a Greek detachment led by the Spartan king Leonidas to block the Persian army from entering the Thermopylae Gorge ended in failure. The Persians broke into central Greece. The Greek fleet, which met the Persian ships at Cape Artemisia, was forced to withdraw to the south and stood off the western coast of Attica.
The position of the Greek fleet at Salamis, according to all the rules of maritime art, seemed from the outside as unfavorable as it could be. Judge for yourself: the fleet stands in a narrow space, both exits from it are easily controlled by the enemy, there is nowhere to deploy triremes for battle, there is nowhere to retreat in case of an attack. But Themistocles deliberately took the risk - let this "unfavorable" position serve as a bait for the enemy! And the trick was that the Greeks took into account the conditions of the area. They knew perfectly well all the currents, reefs and shallows in the bays and straits of Salamis. Persian ships were mainly driven by the Phoenicians - excellent sailors, but it was off the coast of a little-known island that all their thousand-year experience turned out to be useless!
But "positional cunning" was only half the battle for Themistocles. The problem was that the Persians in such a situation did not really need a fight. Some naval commanders of Xerxes (for example, the ruler of the city of Halicarnassus, Artemisia, who commanded a detachment of five ships) reasoned quite sensibly: let the Greeks sit in a trap, and when they get bored, they crawl out and attack themselves, this is where we will turn around! These arguments are mentioned in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. King Xerxes, despite the apparent superiority of his fleet, also hesitated.
Themistocles, as an experienced military leader, probably guessed what his opponents were thinking about. In addition, there was also no unity among the Greeks about the position of Salamis. Eurybiades, who commanded the ships from Sparta and formally stood "above" Themistocles on the ladder of military leaders (the Athenian, however, had his own weighty argument in the form of 200 triremes - that is, most of the fleet), persistently offered to relocate closer to the Peloponnese, to the Isthmus of Corinth, and even ordered to prepare for a breakthrough. For Themistocles, who, not without reason, believed that the Greeks were doomed to defeat on the high seas, there was only one way out: to immediately lure the Persians into battle! And the Athenian applied a cunning that was unprecedented until that time, which can be called "false betrayal."
The educator of his children, a slave named Sikinn (curiously, of Persian origin) went to Xerxes and promised that in battle, Themistocles' detachment would go over to the side of the Persians. “In proof of his devotion, Themistocles informs the king of the plans of the Greeks. The king should block both exits from the Salamis Strait and prevent the Greeks from leaving, ”the slave said. Xerxes believed these words. And the Persian ships climbed into the trap of Themistocles, blocking the exits from the strait, including the narrowest and most inconvenient for large ships - at Cape Kamatero. It was there that the main events unfolded.
The battle itself went according to Themistocles' plans. Some Persian ships ran aground safely, where they were captured by the Greeks. Several ships stumbled upon reefs and sank without enemy intervention at all. And most of the advanced Persian ships fell victim to another trick of Themistocles: the Athenian naval commander pretended that his ships in the center of the position were retreating, and “dragged” the Persians behind him into a place in the strait where they had nowhere even to turn around physically. When the Hellenes stopped and rushed into a furious counterattack, the Persians were forced to retreat in disorder, colliding with other ships of their own fleet and drowning them. By evening, the Persian flotilla, which had decreased by at least half, hastily left Salamis, which was fatal to her. The Greeks regained dominance of the sea, and a year later, at the Battle of Plataea, they defeated the foot army of Xerxes, putting an end to the plans for the conquest of Greece.
Well, as for the film, then of course there is little historical truth. For example, Paul Cartledge, professor of antiquity at the University of Cambridge, noted that in reality neither Xerxes nor Darius were present at the battle of Marathon, and the latter could not have been killed in Greece by Themistocles, as shown in the film. In contrast to the film, Artemisia actually opposed the naval battle with the Greeks in the straits and did not die in the Greco-Persian Wars. The Spartan fleet added only 16 warships to the total Greek fleet of 400 ships, and not at all a huge armada
sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B5% D0%B2:_%D0%A0%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%86%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5% D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B8
http://voenternet.ru/artofwars/2013/04/03/%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0 %BA%D0%BE%D0%B5-%D1%81%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D1%83%D0 %BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D1%84%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE/
http://www.muzffam.ru/articlematerial19
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