“It was a battle not just for Greek independence, but for Greek civilisation”

In late September 480 BC the ancient Greek world was on a razor’s edge: in the west the Greeks of Sicily were under threat from an imminent invasion by the Carthaginians of north Africa (modern Tunisia). In the Aegean heartland a small handful of Greeks, led by Sparta and Athens, were daring to defy an actual invasion by a huge Persian-led amphibious force.

Thermopylae had been defended but lost. Salamis – a tiny islet in Athens’ possession, not far from Athens itself – was the scene of a life-and-death naval battle. It was a battle not just for Greek independence, but for Greek civilisation.

COMMENT / Professor Paul Cartledge This was a civilisation of democracy, theatre, philosophy, science and history – and of piety towards the many gods and goddesses of the Greek pantheon.

It was a combination of Athenian-led Greek bravery and skill, together with Persian miscalculation, that saw the loyalist Greek side win its famous victory. Persian emperor Xerxes turned tail and fled. Athenian playwright Aeschylus later celebrated with his tragic drama, The Persians.

But the war was not yet won: that happened the following year, thanks mainly to the massive land battle of Plataea, in Boeotia, which saw an alliance of Greek city states – including Sparta and Athens – destroy the remnants of the Persian army.