View source for Battle of Artemisium

{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Battle of Artemisium
|partof=the [[Greco-Persian Wars]]
|image=Battle of Thermopylae and movements to Salamis, 480 BC.gif
|result=Tactical stalemate, Persian strategic victory
|caption= Map showing major incidents of the second Persian invasion of Greece
|date=August/September 480 BC
|place=[[Artemisium]], [[Euboea]]
|territory=
|combatant1=[[Greece|Greek]] [[city-state]]s
|combatant2=[[Achaemenid Empire|Persian Empire]]
|commander1=[[Eurybiades]],<br />[[Themistocles]],<br />[[Adeimantus of Corinth|Adeimantus]]
|commander2=[[Artemisia I]],<br />[[Achaemenes (satrap)|Achaemenes]]
|strength1=271 ships
|strength2=800 ships
|casualties1=~100 ships lost or damaged
|casualties2=~200 ships lost
}}
The [[Navy|naval]] '''Battle of Artemesium''' took place at the same time as the [[Battle of Thermopylae]], in 480 BC.

Approaching Artemisium towards the end of summer, the [[Achaemenid Empire|Persian]] navy was caught in a gale off the coast of Magnesia and lost around a third of their ~1,200 ships.

After arriving at Artemisium, the Persians sent a detachment of 200 ships around the coast of Euboea in an attempt to trap the Greeks, but these were caught in another storm and shipwrecked.

The main action of the battle took place after two days of smaller engagements. The two sides fought all day, with roughly equal losses; however the smaller Allied fleet could not afford the losses.

After the engagement, the Allies received news of the defeat of the Allied army at [[Battle of Thermopylae|Thermopylae]]. Their strategy was to hold both Thermopylae and Artemisium. So, given their losses, the Allies decided to withdraw to Salamis. The Persians overran [[Boeotia]] and captured the now-evacuated [[Athens]]. However, seeking a [[decisive victory]] over the Allied fleet, the Persians were later defeated at the [[Battle of Salamis]] in late 480

== Other websites ==
* [http://www.livius.org/arl-arz/artemisium/artemisium.html Livius Picture Archive: the naval battle of Artemisium (480 BC)]
* [http://academic.reed.edu/humanities/Hum110/Hdt/Hdt8.html Reed Classics, extracts from Herodotus Book Eight]

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{{Ancient Greek Military World}}
[[Category:Achaemenid Empire]]
[[Category:480 BC]]
[[Category:Battles of ancient Greece]]