Notes on Ancient Greece 3/18/11

Themistecles

• a common athenian
• the savior of his city
• he alone recognized that the Persians could still be a threat
• created the most advanced piece of technology: Trirem
• a complex boat (missle)
• lethal, could take out a whole ship
• expensive
• Athenians found some extra wealth and wanted to give it to everyone
• Themistelces wanted to spend it on ships
• Themistecles wanted to built the biggest army and naval fleet
• Darrius died, his son Xerxes took over
• Xerxes wanted to burn Athens to the ground
• began consrtucting troops
• from every corner of his empire
• nearly 2 million men
• In the spring of 480 BC, news reached Athens that Persia was going to invade Athens
• Greeks went to see the oracle of Delfy
• she communicates directly to the gods
• Apithia, the priestess, who spoke with the voice of Apollo
• The oracle said that they were doomed and to run
• Themistecles ordered for the evacuation of Athens for the first time, to the village of Troystan
• All men were to board ships
• Salamis - a city off the coast of Greece
• Themistecles wanted the Persians to fight with him in the area between Salamis and Athens
• Themistecles sends someone into the Persian camp and to pretend that he is a traitor
• they are all scared, you can go in an crush them. if you go in tonight, you will be able to defeat them
• The Greeks had lored the Persians into the straight so far that they had no room to menuver
• The Greeks had won the war, and the Persians had lost 200 fleets
• the Delian League, Athen's empire
• Athens also gained economic power after their win with Persia