Aug 11

The Iran and Greece naval battle in Cape Artemisium

On August 11th, 480 BC, Eurybiades, the Greek commander a flotilla of the Greek navy, who was not aware of the result of the battle of Thermopylae pass and the death of Leonidas, the Sparta king, and all his men, decided, with 127 trireme-class warships, to attack the Iranian warships which were moving parallel to the ground forces and providing supplies.     The purpose of this attack was to destroy the ships carrying foodstuff, protected by war - ships.     Eurybiades thought that when the ships carrying supplies were destroyed the Iranian army would be forced to retreat.     The Iranian navy commander noted movements among the Greek ships and guessed their plan for attack, and in order to neutralize this attack, assigned some of his ships to go around the Euboea Island and surround the Greek flotilla. But Eurybiades, through a Greek-speaking escapee from the Iranian navy came to know the plan, and immediately (the same day) launched his attack. During this naval engagement, when the sea was also stormy, he was informed that Leonidas has been killed and the battle of thermopylae pass has ended and the Iranian ground forces has started advancing towards Athens. He stopped fighting and with his ships, some of which were already destroyed, hurried towards the Salamis Island in order to help transfer the Athenian families from the city to far away islands. Since this naval battle had occurred on August 11th, in Cape Artemisium, situated in the north of Euboea Island, this war has become famous in history as Artemisium naval battle. Artimis temple is built in this cape.     Herodotus has written details of this war and has indicated the number of Iranian ships several times more than in reality. The above photo shows the place where the Artemisium naval battle took place.          Translation by Rowshan Lohrasbpour (Amorda-News writer)