The Saronic Gulf (Saronikos, Saronic Sea, Gulf of Aegina) is a gulf of the Aegean Sea, in Greece, separating Attica from the Peloponnese.
The water area of the bay is 740 square meters. Km.
In the northeastern corner of Saronikos is the Eleusinian Bay, sheltered by the island of Salamis.
Islands of the Saronic Gulf - Salamis, Aegina, Poros are part of the Attica region.
The islands located nearby are often considered to be the islands of the bay. Alexandros, Dokos, Trikeri, Spetses, Spetsopoula, since they are also included in the nome of Attica.The abundance of islands in the bay was one of the reasons for the development of navigation in ancient times.Characteristics of hotel properties (according to statistics from the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels):
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Hydra |
Poros |
Aegina |
Salamis |
Spetses |
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Total hotels: |
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5* |
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4* |
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3* |
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2* |
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1*, etc. |
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How to get to the islands:
From the port of Piraeus (Athens) by ferry.
Poros
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| Poros island, Greece |
area - 33 sq. km
coastline length – 42 km
Poros is an island of stunning scenery with an abundance of low, pine-covered mountains, endless lemon gardens and many windmills. Located opposite the coast of Argolis. The green island of Poros is divided by a canal into 2 parts: the smaller one - Spheria, where the main city of Poros is located, and the larger one - Kalavria.
The southern coastline of the island is indented with lagoons and bays.The most famous: Neorio Bay, where there is a water-skiing base that attracts athletes from all over Europe, Russian Bay, in the 19th century. it housed a Russian naval base that helped Greece develop its navy, and the famous Bay of Love, framed on all sides by weeping willows, a place for romantic meetings at sunset. On the other side of the canal lies Askeli Beach, a favorite vacation spot for tourists.
The nightlife of Poros is calm and measured, people relax in cafes and taverns of the island's capital, enjoying the soft rustling of the waves.
Spetses
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| Spetses island, Greece |
The area of the island is 22 square meters. Km
A small picturesque island with many fragrant pine groves, mosaic streets and beautiful equipped and secluded beaches for swimming in the clearest sea water.The island is located at the entrance to the Argolid Gulf.The island has a good tourist infrastructure, welcoming many visitors in the summer, mainly Athenians who come here to relax on the quiet shores or for the intense nightlife of the island.Private vehicles are prohibited on the island.
The capital of the island of Spetses is located on the northeast coast opposite Costa in the Peloponnese. In front of the port is Dapya Square. To this day, next to the cafe tables there are cannons that took part in the battles of the War of 1821. Of interest is a visit to the Museum and some restored old rich houses that remind of the former splendor and wealth of the island. You should also visit the churches of All Saints and Our Lady.
As for the island's beautiful beaches, which can be reached by boat, they are located in the areas of Vrellas and Zonqueria on the northern coast of the island, where pine trees literally hang over the sea.The picturesque bays of Agia Paraskevi and Agia Anargyri with magnificent sand are located on the west coast. The beaches of Kunipitsa and Agia Marina are located near the port.
Spetses is an island known since ancient times as a center of ship construction and even today the beautiful old port is full of ships in various stages of construction. Along the entire length of the coast there are small charming beaches and grottoes - an idyllic atmosphere for relaxing, swimming in the crystal clear waters or sunbathing.
The island's location (5 minutes by boat from the shores of the Peloponnese) is ideal for day trips to archaeological and historical sites, of which there are plenty on the island, as well as picturesque villages, some of the most beautiful places in Greece.
Salamis
Area - 95 sq. km
Coastline length - 104 km
population – more than 28,000 inhabitants
Salamis is the closest of the Argo-Saronic islands to Athens.
The natural beauty of the island - its beautiful sandy beaches, rocky shores and rich vegetation - attracts more and more tourists every year.
The once densely pine-covered island is now filled with numerous settlements. However, there are secluded sandy beaches with picturesque fish taverns, especially in the western part of the island.
There are 2 beautiful coniferous forests on the island - the Faneromeni Forest (great for walks and for morning and evening jogging) and the Kanakion Forest (for activities mountain bike and where competitions in this sport are also held).
Attractions:
Faneromeni convent, which was built in the 17th century, and its main church in the 11th century; the Museum of Folk Art and History, which displays exhibits dating back to the Mycenaean era, mainly ceramics, as well as ship models - a collection that deserves special attention; Evripidi Cave, which is approximately 47 meters long and is located in a rock 115 meters high; the Euripides Theater (8 km from the city), which was built in 1993 following the example of ancient Greek theaters, seats 3,000 people and hosts theatrical performances and various concerts; secluded sandy beaches with picturesque fish taverns, especially in the western part of the island.
Aegina (Aegina island)
The area of the island is 85 square meters. km
Coastline length – 57 km
Aegina is located in the center of the Saronic Gulf. The coastal plains, framed by volcanic mountains, are home to extensive groves of almonds, olives, grapes and pistachio trees. The island's population is mainly engaged in the cultivation of pistachios. The famous "Aegina pistachios" are the main product of the island.
Aegina is an island covered with pine trees, on which stands the temple of Aphaia. If you draw imaginary straight lines from this temple, connecting it with the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, you will get an equilateral triangle, the most beautiful thing that has been created in Attica from ancient times to the present day. This Doric temple with its famous pediment sculptural groups (kept in the Munich Glyptothek) was built in the 5th century. BC. and has reached us in the best preservation of all the ancient temples of Greece. Below the Temple of Aphaia there are picturesque bays and sandy beaches.
The port of Aegina, the main city of the island, is picturesque. Churches, ancient houses, many of which are surprisingly well preserved in their original condition, yachts, boats, a crowded embankment - all this makes up a lively picture that creates a pleasant mood. Sights of the city of Aegina: Archaeological Museum; A column that is the only remnant of the Temple of Apollo near the port; The cathedral in which the first government of Greece took the oath.
At a distance of 1.5 km from the city there is the Church of Saints Theodore or the Beautiful Church of the 13th century with wonderful frescoes. In the interior of the island, halfway to the Temple of Aphaia, to the left of the road, is Paleochora - a medieval village lying in ruins, built by the Aeginetans to protect against pirates, and the convent of St. Nektarios, where this saint spent the last years of his life, where his remains are kept. Another monastery of the Mother of God Chrysoskalitissa (Golden-Stepped) is located near the village of Dzikides. From this village in the southeast is the village of Pakhya-Rakhi at the foot of the conical-shaped mountain Oros, the highest on the island, at the top of which the ruins of the temple of Zeus Gellanius are preserved.
Agistri
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| Agistri, Greece |
The island is located just
45 min ferry ridefrom Piraeos, the main seaport of Athens.The green island of Agistri is located in the center of the Saronic Gulf. A small, charming island literally overgrown with pine groves reaching to the very edge of the sea waters.
The best time to visit Agistri is spring, when the greenery of tropical trees mixes with a colorful variety of wild flowers, and there are not many tourists yet. The tourist season begins in April, but even when it reaches its peak, Agistri remains a fairly calm place.
The hotels are located almost on the beach. There are almost no cars on the island, the air is clean and transparent. This is an ideal place for fans of silence and unity with nature. At the same time, its close location to Athens undoubtedly distinguishes Agistri from many other Greek islands.
Hydra (Idra, Hydra, Idra)
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| Hydra island, Greece |
Island area - 55 sq. km.
population about 3,000 people
coastline length - 55 km
Charming little rocky island. Modern Greeks have chosen this area for a “dacha” holiday - it is easily accessible by ferry from Piraeus and the Peloponnese.
From the harbor itself, up the mountainside, an amphitheater-like panorama of the city rises with dazzling white plastered houses and orange-brown roof tiles.Flowers on windows, balconies and patios, narrow stairs. Unlike other islands of the Saronic Gulf, Hydra is mostly devoid of vegetation, only in the southwest do pine trees grow. A notable feature of the island is the absence of cars on it. Locals prefer to stay on their island as pedestrians. Here you can ride a donkey or horse through the narrow streets of the city. Impressive buildings of strict forms are visible from afar on the hillside. These are “archondica” - houses built in the Middle Ages mainly by ship owners, who were the flower of local society.
Now the population is engaged in small trade, tourist services, and the extraction of sea sponges.There are two monasteries on the island, located at an altitude of 500 m above sea level: the male monastery of Elijah the Prophet and the female monastery of St. Eupraxia. From the territory of the monasteries you can clearly see the coast and the sea with islands.
Hydra is a favorite vacation spot for the capital's bohemia. Writers and artists come here in winter, when the flow of tourists has subsided.
By clicking anywhere on our site or clicking “Accept”, you agree to the use of cookies and other technologies for the processing of personal data. You can change your privacy settings. Cookies are used by us and our trusted partners to analyze, improve and personalize your user experience on the site. These cookies are also used to target advertising that you see both on our site and on other platforms.Who watched this movie? Probably not many. And those (like me) probably watched it only for the first part, in the hope of at least some semblance. But that's not what we're talking about. It turns out I was completely unaware of the historical background of this film. Some percentage of it is still based on real historical events. And here they are.
The Battle of Salamis (480 BC) was a naval battle that took place between the Persian and Greek armies during the famous Greco-Persian War. The battle took place near the island of Salamis, which is located near Athens. According to some accounts, the Greek fleet consisted of 311 or 380 ships, which were able to easily defeat the much larger Persian fleet of 1,000 ships in the narrow strait. It was the Battle of Salamis that became a turning point in the course of the Greco-Persian war.
Let's remember these historical events in more detail...
The battle was preceded by a number of events that could significantly influence the further course of the war. The Persian army occupied and destroyed Athens. Residents of the city were previously evacuated to the nearby island of Salamis. The entire allied Greek fleet was concentrated in the narrow straits between the island and the mainland. There are different opinions regarding the size of both fleets; the only constant is the point of view that the Persians had numerical superiority. The most often cited figures are: approximately 310 Greek rowing triremes (according to Aeschylus - 311 ships, Herodotus - about 380), against 1200 Persian ones. However, the famous Soviet historian, Professor S. Lurie, believes that no more than 500 Persian ships actually took part in the battle. But one point should be noted: the Persian ships were for the most part heavier and larger than the Greek ones. Naturally, there was no talk of any naval artillery in that era; the main means of fighting the enemy at sea were ramming and boarding (if the latter was successful, the enemy ship could be set on fire and sunk). So the size of the ship and the number of warriors that could fit on it were of significant importance.
Serious disagreements arose among the Hellenes. Most military leaders proposed leaving Salamis and directing all forces to defend the Isthmus of Corinth. The Athenian strategist Themistocles pointed out that only in narrow straits could the Greeks defeat the Persian fleet, which was superior in both the number of ships and the quality of training of sailors. Seeing the impossibility of influencing the decisions of other military leaders, he decided on a trick. Having sent his trusted messenger to Xerxes, he ordered to tell him that the Greeks were going to flee, and if the king wanted to destroy the Greek fleet, then he should immediately begin battle.
For the Greeks, the only possibility of a decisive naval victory was a battle in a narrow space, where the enemy’s numerical superiority was leveled out. By entering the straits between the mainland and Salamis, the Persians deprived themselves of their advantages. For them, the start of the Battle of Salamis was a decisive strategic mistake, which determined the outcome of the battle and the further course of the war.
The main source that has survived to this day describing the naval battle at Salamis is the VIII book of Herodotus’s “History”. Regardless of Herodotus, the event was described by Ctesias of Cnidus, who lived at the court of the Persian king Artaxerxes II, in his work “Persian History”. The tragedy “The Persians” by the ancient Greek playwright and battle participant Aeschylus is also of historical interest. In it, a direct witness to the Battle of Salamis described his feelings about the death of the Persian fleet.
The Battle of Salamis and other events of the Greco-Persian wars were given considerable attention by the ancient historians Diodorus, Plutarch and Cornelius Nepos, who lived much later.
The Greek city-states of Athens and Eretria assisted the sister city-states of Ionia in their unsuccessful rebellion against the rule of the Persian king Darius in 499-494 BC. e. The Persian Empire was quite young at that time. It was often shaken by uprisings of conquered peoples. The rebels, together with the Athenians, managed to capture and burn an important city of the empire and the capital of the satrapy of Sardis. Darius wanted to take revenge on the Greeks who took part in the uprising, who were beyond his control.
Darius also saw an opportunity to conquer the scattered ancient Greek cities. In 492 BC. e. During the military expedition of the Persian commander Mardonius, Thrace was conquered, Macedonia recognized the supreme power of the Persian king. Thus, the Persians provided their ground forces with passage to the territory of Ancient Greece. In 491 BC. e. Darius sent envoys to all independent Greek cities demanding "land and water", which corresponded to submission and recognition of the Persian authority. Realizing the strength and military might of the Achaemenid state, all the cities of ancient Hellas, except Sparta and Athens, accepted humiliating demands. In Athens, the ambassadors were tried and executed. In Sparta they were thrown into a well, offering to take earth and water from there.
In 490 BC. e. The Persian fleet under the command of Datis and Artaphernes was sent to conquer Athens. On the way to Athens, Eretria was conquered and destroyed. The army landed on the territory of Attica, but was defeated by the Athenians and Plataeans at the Battle of Marathon. After this unsuccessful expedition, Darius began to gather a huge army to conquer all of Greece. His plans were thwarted by an uprising in Egypt in 486 BC. e., and soon Darius died. His son Xerxes took the throne. Having suppressed the Egyptian uprising, Xerxes continued preparations for the campaign against Greece.
Themistocles came to power in Athens. The period between the Marathon battle and the invasion of Xerxes is called by the antiquarian Surikov “the era of Themistocles.” While the Persians were gathering an army to conquer Hellas, the Athenian politician contributed to the creation of a powerful fleet. The Athenians had a custom of dividing among themselves the proceeds from the silver mines in Laurion. The owner of these mines was the state. After the fall of the tyrants, state property began to be considered the property of all citizens. If, after covering all state needs, significant sums remained in the coffers, then this surplus was divided among the Athenians. Themistocles proposed using the funds received for the construction of ships. The proposal was received very ambiguously. By accepting it, every Athenian was deprived of a small but reliable monetary benefit provided by the state. Preparing ships for the war with the Persians, Themistocles understood that the Athenians would not agree with him, since they did not consider the barbarians defeated at Marathon to be a serious threat. Therefore, he convinced his fellow citizens that new ships and a powerful fleet were necessary for the war with Aegina, an island that was waging a continuous war with Athens. It was this policy that ultimately led to the crushing defeat of Xerxes' army.
In 481 BC. e. Xerxes sent envoys to most of the Greek city-states demanding "land and water", except Athens and Sparta. At the end of autumn 481 BC. e. A pan-Greek meeting took place in Corinth. In the face of a common danger, an alliance was concluded and internecine wars were stopped. Embassies were sent to the Greek colonies asking for help. Technically, it was difficult to implement the decisions of the Pan-Greek Congress due to the fragmentation of the ancient Greeks, the hostility between them and internecine wars.
In 480 BC. e. Xerxes' army began transporting from Asia to Europe. In addition to the ground army, Xerxes had a powerful fleet, equipped with the coastal and island peoples that were part of his state.
All spring and summer 480 BC. e. The campaign of the Persian army continued along the coast of the Aegean Sea. An attempt by a Greek detachment led by the Spartan king Leonidas to block the Persian army’s path to the Thermopylae Gorge ended in failure. The Persians broke into central Greece. The Greek fleet, which met the Persian ships at Cape Artemisia, was forced to retreat to the south and stood off the western coast of Attica.
The position of the Greek fleet at Salamis, according to all the rules of naval art, seemed from the outside to be as unfavorable as possible. Judge for yourself: the fleet is stationed in a narrow space, both exits from it are easily controlled by the enemy, there is nowhere to deploy triremes for battle, and there is nowhere to retreat in case of attack. But Themistocles deliberately took a risk - let this “disadvantageous” position serve as bait for the enemy! And the trick was that the Greeks took into account the conditions of the area. They knew perfectly well all the currents, reefs and shoals in the bays and straits of Salamis. The Persian ships were controlled mainly by Phoenicians - excellent sailors, but it was off the coast of a little-known island that all their thousand-year experience turned out to be useless!
But “positional cunning” was only half the battle for Themistocles. The problem was that the Persians did not really need a fight in such a situation. Some naval commanders of Xerxes (for example, the ruler of the city of Halicarnassus, Artemisia, who commanded a detachment of five ships) reasoned quite sensibly: let the Greeks sit in a trap, and when they get tired, they get out and attack themselves, and that’s where we’ll turn around! These arguments are mentioned in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus. King Xerxes, despite the obvious superiority of his fleet, also hesitated.
Themistocles, as an experienced military leader, probably guessed what his opponents were thinking about. In addition, there was also no unity among the Greeks regarding the position at Salamis. Eurybiades, who commanded the ships from Sparta and formally stood “above” Themistocles on the ladder of military leaders (the Athenian, however, had his own compelling argument in the form of 200 triremes - that is, the majority of the fleet), persistently proposed to relocate closer to the Peloponnese, to the Isthmus of Corinth, and even ordered to prepare for a breakthrough. For Themistocles, who not without reason believed that the Greeks were doomed to defeat on the high seas, there was only one way out: to immediately lure the Persians into battle! And the Athenian used a trick unprecedented up to that time, which can be called “false betrayal.”
The teacher of his children, a slave named Sicinnus (curiously, of Persian origin) went to Xerxes and promised that Themistocles’s detachment would go over to the Persian side in battle. “As proof of his devotion, Themistocles informs the king about the plans of the Greeks. The king should lock both exits from the Strait of Salamis and prevent the Greeks from leaving,” the slave said. Xerxes believed these words. And the Persian ships climbed into Themistocles’ trap, blocking the exits from the strait, including the narrowest and most inconvenient for large ships - at Cape Kamatero. It was there that the main events unfolded.
The battle itself took place in accordance with Themistocles' plans. Some Persian ships ran aground safely, where they were captured by the Greeks. Several ships hit reefs and sank without any enemy intervention at all. And most of the advanced Persian ships fell victim to another trick of Themistocles: the Athenian naval commander pretended that his ships in the center of the position were retreating, and “pulled” the Persians with him into a place in the strait where they physically had nowhere to even turn around. When the Hellenes stopped and launched a furious counterattack, the Persians were forced to retreat in disarray, colliding with other ships of their own fleet and sinking them. By evening, the Persian flotilla, reduced by at least half, hastily left Salamis, which was fatal for it. The Greeks regained command of the sea, and a year later, at the Battle of Plataea, they defeated the foot army of Xerxes, putting an end to plans for the conquest of Greece.
Well, as for the film, of course there is little historical truth. For example, Paul Cartledge, a professor of classical studies at the University of Cambridge, noted that in reality neither Xerxes nor Darius were present at the Battle of Marathon, and the latter could not have been killed in Greece by Themistocles, as shown in the film. Contrary to the film, Artemisia actually opposed the naval battle with the Greeks in the strait and did not die in the Greco-Persian Wars. The Spartan fleet added only 16 warships to the total Greek fleet of 400 ships, and not a huge armada at all
sources
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/300_%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B5% D0%B2:_%D0%A0%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%86%D0%B2%D0%B5%D1%82_%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%BF%D0%B5% D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B8
http://voenternet.ru/artofwars/2013/04/03/%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0 %BA%D0%BE%D0%B5-%D1%81%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5-%D1%83%D0 %BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D1%84%D0%B5%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE/
http://www.muzffam.ru/articlematerial19
Here are some other related topics I would like to remind you of: here we looked into this, and here. Find out also what it means and who they are The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -The Persians, defeated in a fierce battle near Marathon by an enemy whose forces were much smaller, were forced to return to Asia, and for ten years they could not come to terms with their defeat. A decade later, they began a new military campaign that would last for many years. Athens at that time itself was the site of political battles between the democratic group and the aristocrats, supported by large and medium-sized landowners. The looming war with the Persians caused fierce disputes between the two warring factions, and preparations for it became a new stumbling block.
In the Battle of Salamis, the Greeks showed not only miracles of bravery and courage, but also became an example for the entire history of mankind of the fact that in the face of even a numerically superior enemy, love for the Motherland, veneration of their shrines, defense of their homes and families, and the freedom so valued by the Greeks, gives strength not only to resist, but also to achieve an unexpected and dazzling victory.
Events the day before: disputes, strife, choice of strategy
Representatives of the Athenian hostile groups also held opposing views on the methods and means of the expected war. Aristides, the then leader of the Athenian aristocrats, believed that Athens would only be saved by ground forces, and demanded that funds be used to build fortifications on land in order to defend the internal territories. This was a defensive tactic, which, given the significant numerical superiority of the enemy, did not bode well for any positive events.
The leader of the democratic group, Themistocles, who went down in the history of Ancient Greece as one of the greatest politicians of that era, was more perspicacious and far-sighted, and considered the tactics proposed by the aristocrats to be incorrect. He proposed not to allow the enemy to approach Athens, but to strengthen the coast of Attica and create a powerful navy. Subsequent events confirmed that he was right and proved that he was a wise and far-sighted politician who knew how to correctly navigate a difficult situation and make the only right decision.
Themistocles' victory in the struggle between two factions ended with the ostracism of Aristides, who was expelled from Athens, and the leader of the democratic group ensured that the income from the famous Laurian silver mines, distributed among the citizens of the Athenian polis, was redirected to defense needs.
In two years, the Athenian fleet increased by 100 units, and amounted to 180 triremes. Themistocles organized the Military Defense Union of Greek Cities, headed by the Spartan commander-in-chief. One can only guess about the global nature of the Athenian leader’s plans, and the course of history that could have taken place if the Persians had delayed a little longer. But two years later, a 100,000-strong Persian army invaded the Thracian coast of the Balkan Peninsula, crossing, led by King Xerxes, across the Hellespont from Asia Minor. The Spartans, led by Leonidas, were unable to contain the Persians in the Thermopylae Gorge, and the Greek fleet, which met them at Cape Artemisia, retreated after the battle to Attica.
In 480 BC. e. the Persians captured and destroyed Athens.
Shortly before this, the civilian population of Athens was evacuated to Salamis and the Peloponnese, and the Greek army also retreated there. The Greek allied fleet, which included about 380 triremes, took refuge in the Strait of Salamis, which was narrow and filled with underwater rocks.
Brilliant strategic move and calculated advantages
The genius of Themistocles allowed him to correctly calculate the further course of events, and even persuade the Spartans not to withdraw their fleet to protect the Peloponnese and Sparta. Knowing full well that the Greeks had no chance against the colossal army of the Persians on land, he decided to deprive the Persians of the fleet, thanks to which they maintained contact with the Persian army from bases in Asia Minor, which supplied everything necessary for the army. The Greeks were on their territory and knew the fairway of the Strait of Salamis very well, while the Persians did not have the necessary knowledge. The Persian ships were large and powerful, but in the narrow strait they lost maneuverability. On the open sea, the Greeks had no chance, but in the narrow and cramped strait they received an undeniable tactical advantage due to the maneuverability of triremes and knowledge of the fairway necessary for military maneuvers.
All these factors robbed the Persians of the advantage they had due to the number of ships. The ships belonged mainly to the Phoenicians and Asia Minor, because the Persians did not have their own fleet. The Allies provided their fleet in the hope of an easy victory and the opportunity to make a good living in rich Greece. The number of the Persian fleet was about 800 combat units, which was more than 2 times larger than the Greek one only in terms of units, not to mention the size and combat equipment. Only in a narrow and cramped strait did the Greeks have a chance of victory, which Themistocles was able to see, supported by his supporters who believed in his genius and insight.
Relying entirely on numerical superiority and significant weapons, September 28, 480 BC. e., Xerxes began to introduce his armada into the Strait of Salamis. The Persians were confident of a quick and easy victory, while the Greeks were determined, and even desperate, because they realized that the fate of all of Greece was being decided in this battle. The Persians intended to easily and simply destroy the Greek fleet, and the Greek fleet, consisting of Athenian and Spartan ships, intended to deprive the Persian army of this opportunity. Information about the battle was preserved due to the fact that the Greek playwright Aeschylus was on one of the Hellenic ships, who later described the course of events in the tragedy “The Persians”.
Great battle and brilliant victory
Huge Phoenician galleys crowded together in a narrow strait and quickly deprived each other of the ability to maneuver, completely blocking the fairway. Attempts to even out the situation only led to even greater chaos, during which they interfered with each other, breaking long oars on the sides.
Fast and small Greek triremes, meanwhile, easily maneuvered between large ships and, obeying the commands of the trierarchs, began to attack the clumsy Phoenician ships. Clouds of arrows rained down on them, but they, hiding behind their shields, boarded the enemy, while those remaining on the triremes, meanwhile, rammed the enemy with the special pointed protrusions of their ships, breaking the oars, completely depriving them of maneuverability.
The Persian-Phoenician fleet, led by Xerxes' brother Ariomenes, lost more than 200 ships in an incredibly short period of time, while the Greeks lost about 40. The surviving ships of the Persian armada rushed to the exit of the strait, and they managed to break into the sea, but they could not continue the battle didn't decide. The resulting defeat led to the fact that the allied fleet soon left for the shores of Asia Minor.
There is no doubt that the idea voiced by Themistocles was fully realized by the commander of the Hellenic allied fleet, Eurybiades. Eurybiades, as commander-in-chief, managed to use the maneuverability of the Greek ships, realize the advantages gained, break up and disperse the experienced enemy fleet, and win an indisputable victory, which entered the annals of the world.
During the battle, many ships ran aground on their own, running into underwater rocks, and some sank, and some were captured by the Greeks. Themistocles used an effective trick, pretending that his ships were retreating into the middle of the strait, and the enemy ships ended up in a place where they could not turn around at all, and meanwhile, the fleeing Greeks stopped and rushed into a furious counterattack.
But the Battle of Salamis also became a clear illustration of the fact that the numerical superiority of the invader can be overcome with the help of skillful maneuver, a brilliant tactical move, the use of territorial advantage, and the moral factor - not in 
last thing. The Greeks fought for their homeland, which was being encroached upon by the aggressor, and this doubled their strength and tripled their superiority over the enemy, whom they intended to prevent from reaching their homes and families. Xerxes, who observed the battle, along with part of the army and the remaining fleet, left Greece and returned to Asia.
A magnificent stage of history
Part of the Persian army, under the command of Mardonius, was still terrorizing the Greek lands. In order to defeat the aggressor, Athens and Sparta united. In 479 BC. e. The Greeks defeated the Persian army with united Greek forces at Plataea in Boeotia. This time the Greeks were commanded by Aristides and Pausanias. There was a long and tedious road to victory over the Persian occupiers, which ended 30 years later with the brilliant victory of the united Greek fleet over the Phoenician-Cypriot fleet near (ironically) the city of the same name, Salamis, off the coast of Cyprus.
The history of Ancient Greece is a history of wars and alliances, conquests and victories, collapse and defeats. To some extent, this is the history of world civilization, written in the form of a summary, the lessons of which were not taken into account by subsequent generations.
Modern elders of Athos Paisiy Svyatogorets
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Azerbaijan is one of the oldest winemaking centers. In the necropolises of Leilatepe and Sarytepe, archaeologists discovered clay vessels for storing wine - evidence of the development of winemaking in Azerbaijan in the Late Bronze Age. The creation of industrial winemaking in Azerbaijan dates back to the middle of the 19th century. In 1815, by order of Emperor Alexander I, the Germans from Württenberg began to create colonies in the Caucasus. About 500 families moved to Transcaucasia. The first appearance of German settlers in Azerbaijan dates back to December 1818. They settled in the suburbs of Ganja and were hospitably received by the Azerbaijanis. The city of Helenendorf (now Goygol) became the first German colony in this area; during the 19th century, the settlements of Annenfeld, Georgsfeld, Alekseevka, Grünfeld, Eigenfeld, Traubenfeld and others were also founded.
Real estate. Thessaloniki
Greece has everything. For example, the beautiful city of Thessaloniki, named after the equally beautiful half-sister of Alexander the Great - Thessaloniki back in 315 BC. It is truly a beautiful historical and cultural center of Greece, which was confirmed by the UNESCO organization, making it a World Heritage City .
Lost Atlantis. (part two)
In the last article, we examined the version that the legendary and mysterious Atlantis is still an invention of ancient Greek philosophers. Now we will present to your attention the opposite point of view. I would like to note that we will only talk about those versions according to which Atlantis was located in the Aegean Sea.
Monasteries in Meteora
Greek Meteora is a rock complex of indescribable beauty in the town of Kalambaka. Today, the six Greek Orthodox Monasteries of Meteora rightfully occupy a place among the top ten attractions of Greece. The monasteries got their name from the Greek. “Meteora” (Μετέωρα), which means “between heaven and earth”, which perfectly describes these majestic structures. In the 11th century, the sandy peak on which the monasteries are located was a place of solitude for Byzantine hermits.
HISTORY OF SALAMIN
Scientists believe that during Trojan War A trading port of the Greek-Achaeans was founded on the coast of the Gulf of Famagusta, and around 1100 BC. The invasion of Cyprus by the Achaean Greeks began. Alasiya, the capital of Cyprus at that time, fell, its inhabitants moved to a trading settlement on the coast, Salamis.
According to Greek myths, the city was founded after the Trojan War Tevkrom, born on the Greek island of Salamis. The son of Telamon and Hesione, daughter of the king of Troy, he was the best archer of the time. Returning from the war, he was cursed and expelled by his father for allowing his brother to die Ajax the Great. On the advice of Apollo, Teucer went to Cyprus, where he founded the second Salamis. At the place where he landed, the first thing that was built was the temple of Zeus of Salamis.
The political importance of Salamis increased. In the 6th century BC. The king of Salamis, Evagoras, subjugated the entire island to his influence. At this time, the first coin known to scientists in Cyprus was already minted here. The inscription on it is made in the ethno-Cypriot language, which has not yet been deciphered (the coins are kept in the Museum of the Bank of Cyprus, in Nicosia). By capturing Salamis, the conqueror gained power over the entire island. Salamis, and after it the whole of Cyprus, became dependent on the Egyptian pharaohs, then became a vassal of the Persian Empire, and later came under Roman rule. During the years of Roman rule, Jews who moved from Palestine began to predominate in Salamis. During the Jewish wars, most of the city was destroyed, the capital was moved to Paphos.
Salamis became the center of the spread of Orthodoxy in Cyprus. The Apostle Barnabas, himself a native of Salamis, from here carried the word of God throughout Cyprus. Here he ended his days; not far from Salamis there is the monastery of the Apostle Barnabas, built on the site of his burial.
In the 6th century, a series of major earthquakes destroyed Salamis and Paphos, killing most of the population. Emperor Constantius restored Salamis and named it Constantia in his honor. The city became the capital of the island and the residence of the bishop; most of the buildings that have survived to this day date back to this period. In the 7th-10th centuries, Constantia was destroyed during Arab raids. Residents moved to neighboring Famagusta, and the ruins were dismantled for building materials - on the streets of Famagusta today you can see snow-white columns, arches and building blocks taken from Salamis.
Archaeological work in Salamis began in the 19th century; the main archaeological sites were discovered in 1952-1974. Large-scale work ceased following the annexation of Northern Cyprus by Turkey in 1974. It can be assumed that the lands of Salamis still conceal many secrets. Today, ancient Salamis is the most impressive open-air archaeological museum in Cyprus.