Salamis

Salamis (now Koluri), an irregularly-shaped, mountainous island of Greece, off the coast of Attica, and forming with it the Bay of Elensis. Close to the southern promontory lies the long narrow island of Psytalia. Its area is about 35 sq. m., and it has a population of over 4500, the chief town being the port of Koluri, on the west coast, itself with more than 3500 inhabitants. In ancient times its two principal towns, Old and New Salamis, lay, the former on the south, the latter on the north-east coast. Salamis was an independent state till about 620 B.C., when it fell, first to Megara, next to Athens through the policy of Solon. Its name is ever memorable from the great naval battle between the Greeks and Persians, fought (480 B.C.) a few days after the battle of Thermopylæ, in the narrow strait between the east coast of Salamis and the west coast of Attica. The Greek fleet of 366 triremes was drawn up at the entrance of the bay forming the harbour of New Salamis, the Athenian contingent under Themistocles, the Corinthian under Adimantus, while the Spartan Eurybiades commanded the whole. Great dissensions prevailed among the Greek leaders, which would probably have led to a general break-up had not Themistocles by a stratagem induced Xerxes, king of the Persians, to bring up his fleet, and give immediate battle to the Greeks. Xerxes drew up his ships, numbering 1200 triremes and 3000 smaller vessels, during the night previous to the battle, opposite the Greek fleet, along the coast of Attica, almost completely blocking up both entrances to the straits; and confident of victory he took his seat on a throne erected on a lofty height on the Attic coast, almost opposite New Salamis. Both Greeks and Persians fought with great bravery, but the latter were entirely defeated, their unwieldy fleet losing all advantage of numbers in the narrow space. Both the order and incidents of the battle are obscure, but the issue is clear enough. The loss of the Greeks is said to have been 40, and that of the Persians 200 ships, exclusive of those which were captured.