Page 11 - NS-2 Textbook

4 MARITIME HISTORY

A galley of the type used in the Mediterranean circa 500 B.C. Galley tactics in fighting were simple: overtake, ram or grapple, board, and cap-
ture in hand-ta-hand fighting. At other times galleys patrolled the sea routes over which most ships traveled.

galleys. This fleet followed his l80,000-man army west- fleet, which was better armed. So the Greeks were able to
ward around the coast of the Aegean Sea, guarding his prevail. About half the Persian fleet was sunk with great
flank and carrying his supplies. loss of life, compared to a Greek loss of only 40 ships.
Themistocles, the Greek commander, realized that Xerxes watched the unfolding disaster from a throne set
the only way the Persians could be stopped was to break up on a hill overlooking the battle. Upon realizing his
this Persian sea line of communication supporting fleet was wiped out, he ordered his army to begin a long
Xerxes' army from Asia Minor. He convinced the Greeks retreat.
to build a naval force of 380 triremes, a type of multi- Following this battle, there was a short period of
decked war galley. Greek strategy was to hold the Per- peace and prosperity, thereafter known as the Golden
sian army at bay at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, Age of Athens. Theatel; sculpture, writing, and philoso-
while the Greek fleet struck the Persian fleet in a series of phy flourished. The concept of democracy in govern-
hit-and-run attacks in the waters among the Greek is- ment was born. Thus the foundations of Western civi-
lands. But a traitor showed the Persian army a secret lization were laid, and the key event that made this
mountain pass, which enabled the Persians to surround possible was the sea battle of Salamis in 480 B.C.
and destroy the Greek defenders at Thermopylae. During the next 150 years, Greek civilization moved
Xerxes' army now continued south to plunder the steadily eastward, conquering most of what was the Per-
abandoned city of Athens. The Greeks took up new posi- sian Empire. Under Alexander the Great of Macedonia,
tions at the Isthmus of Corinth. Meanwhile their fleet Greek culture spread throughout the entire eastern
moved south to the waters around the island of Salamis, Mediterranean. The great port of Alexandria in Egypt
near Athens, to protect their eastern flank. was established. Persia was driven from the seas, and the
Bad weather and the Greek hit-and-run attacks had reign of the Phoenicians was ended. Macedonia became
by this time reduced the Persian fleet to 800 vessels. the world's greatest sea power, conquering most of the
There were only 300 Greek triremes left to oppose them. civilized Western and Middle Eastern world.
Splitting his force, Xerxes sent 200 galleys to block the re-
treat of the Greek fleet around Salamis. The remaining
ROME VS. CARTHAGE
600 galleys moved directly against the Greek fleet in the
narrow strait between Salamis and the shore. But in the The Greeks controlled the eastern Mediterranean for the
narrow strait, the Persians lost the advantage of num- next two centuries. In the western Mediterranean, how-
bers, since only the lead ships had contact with the Greek ever, Greek expansion was checked by the rising sea