The Battle of Salamis : The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece -- and Western Civilization

Rating:
Summary: History at its Best
Review: The story Mr. Strauss tells is rivetting. And he tell it with economy, insight and passion. I recommend this book without reservation.

Rating:
Summary: A+ for Analysis and Research
Review: This book highlights one of the most important turning point battles in all of human history, the battle of Salamis. The reader will be especially interested in this epic tale if he ponders such historical "what if" questions (eg what if Stonewall Jackson wasn't shot and helped Lee win at Gettsburg?, what if the Axis developed the Bomb first?, what if the Muslim invasion wasn't turned back at Tours?, etc, etc.) Don't be fooled, Strauss does none of this speculation, yet gives the intelligent reader enough to ponder to do it own his own.

Salamis, as the reader learns, deserves a place at the table of such historical events. The Persians in 480 BC were poised to destroy the Greek culture and with it western civilization in its infancy. They assembled a virtual untouchable land army and had a navy of unprecedented size. The Greeks, however, were actually the unorganized band of backwater militia for whom victory seems unlikely. If the Persians win, do they take the Pelopenese? Italy? No Pericles? Aristotle? Plato? Alexander? Foundations of democracy? Would Christianity have spread with the acceleration it did without the ball bearings of a dominant Greek culture in the region?

Strauss does an excellent job narrating the events and especially analyzing the battle -- why exactly did the Persians not win? Such analysis is rare, especially of ancient history. Strauss draws mostly, of course, from Herodotus, a source whom historians will argue the veracity of, but if not him, who?

The maps were well drawn, easy to interpret and placed at locations in the book where the reader begins to wonder "Where was that place again?" -- Aha! a map!

So next time you and your buddies sit down for a cold round of drinks, throw one back for ole Themistocles, who arguably did more to advance (save) western civilization than others who have received far more credit!

Highly recommended for the casual, yet serious student of history. An easy read and not so long it takes the reader with a job months to get through!

D. Murrell

Rating:
Summary: Blood in the Water
Review: While the Greeks themselves may not have realized it, the Greco-Persian Wars in the first half of the 5th century BC were some of the most historically important conflicts in human history. Had battles simply gone the other way, had the tides turned or days been different, all of world history could have been drastically altered. The wars between the nominally democratic Greeks and the imperial Persians would set the stage for the next 2 millennia. While the massive and critical land battles of Marathon or Thermopylae are better know, the battle of Salamis is far from insignificant, rather, it may be the most important of them all. In the straights of Salamis near the city of Athens, a Greek navy of many nations and many leaders managed to come together and save their civilization from the invading forces of Asiatic Persia. The conflicts between them, the internal politics of war and evacuation, and the titanic struggle out on the blue waters are described in loving detail and colorful language by historian Barry Strauss.

The ground shuddered, the skies darkened as the Persian force crossed the Hellespont. A force, estimated at around 200,000, came crashing into Greece, determined to succeed where Darius the Great had failed 10 years earlier. The son of Darius, Emperor Xerxes, was not going for half measure. Greece would be brought under his control, and the King of Kings was using the vast resources of his empire to make it possible, to succeed where his father failed. In order to help supply this armed mass, Xerxes brought in his massive fleet, made up of the great maritime nations of the empire, such as the Phoenicians and the Egyptians. Along with these conventional Persian allies, thousands of Greeks, both from Ionia and the mainland, also came in alliance with the Great King, fearing his massive power and influence. When the Spartans were crushed after bravely defending the passes at Thermopylae, all of Attica was open to the Persians. The Athenians had to flee their beloved city, taking refuge on the nearby island of Salamis, protected only by the walls of wood, the Greek fleet. Under the nominal control of a Spartan general, the fleet nevertheless was the instrument of Themistocles, architect and admiral of the powerful Athenian fleet. While others sought a strategic withdrawal, Themistocles shaped the battle to come by arguing that the stand of Greek naval power should be right there, in the narrow straights. With the massive Persian navy barreling down on them, Themistocles used his cunning and charm to both trick the Persians and ready the Greeks.

Both sides sailed into battle on the most advanced ships afloat, the trireme. A sleek and deadly man o war, the ships were powered by over a hundred rowers powering massive oars. The rowers were the heart of the fleet. For the Greeks, they were mostly freemen, citizens of Athens who had a real stake in the defense of their home. For the Persians, the rowers and captains fought for the favor of the king, who sat on a mountain overlooking the straits. The two sides clashed on the water of Themistocles choosing, where the Persian rowers were already tired from the days exertions. Because of the strategy, the rivalry, and the desperate courage shown by the crews, the Greeks were victorious, badly mauling the chaotic and unprepared Persian formations. The sea battle was outrageously bloody, with bodies and wreckage filling the waters. I never really realized just what a mess these kind of battles could be, but Strauss describes them in all their bloody detail.

This book is a great combination of history, narrative, and myth. Strauss is a big fan of Herodotus, but he brings in plenty of other historical sources. Much of the battle still could be characterized as mystery, with large holes still existing in the historical record. Strauss fills this in with his own take on events, making imaginative but educated guesses on how the battle would have progressed and the many turns it would take. You really fall into the flow of events, Strauss knows how to capture the imagination and refuse to let go. This is a great book for those who want to understand this most important of battles.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Story Well Told
Review: With something over a thousand ships taking part, the Battle of Salamis was without question the largest naval battle in ancient times, and indeed not many battles since have had more (1,300 at Okinawa, almost 5,000 ships at D-Day). Salamis is one of those battles that is still studied in history. The little guy (300+ ships) beat the heavy weight navy of the time. They did it with supurb tactics that emphasised their strengths while outsmarting the Persians.

This extensively researched book is centered on the naval battle, but it is set in its place with descriptions of other parts of the war. This includes the battle at Thermopylae where Leonidas and the Spartans were defeated. It also includes an amazing amount of detail on the two countries, their cultures and the times in general.

Finally I have to say that the authors writing style makes this read like a Tom Clancy novel. It's filled with technical details, heros and ordinary men. Not a big book, it is a delight to read.