We've had the best of Thymoplye with the legendary pool cartilage. We've had the

Basil of Atomism with the great Owen Reese and I'm delighted to say that today we are

fulfilling the trilogy as it were because today's topic is the Battle of Salamis, that famous

naval clash which occurred around this time 2,499 years ago. To talk through this clash

I was delighted to be joined by the brilliant Barry Strauss from Cornell University. He has

written a book all about the Basta Salamis and he's also the host of the Antiquitas

podcast so please do go and check that out. Without further ado, here's Barry.

Barry, it is great to have you back, how have you been?

I've been great, thanks, it's great to be back, thank you for having me.

No problem and we are talking about another massive topic, the Battle of Salamis. Can

we say this is perhaps one of or if not the most famous naval clash of antiquity which

we also have quite a lot of information about?

By the standards of ancient history, yes we are relatively well informed.

So let's start with the background, roughly in like early September I'm guessing of 480

BC. The Thymoplye line has just fallen, what's the situation, are the Greeks in retreat?

Yes, at the end of August the Greeks won one at Ardemuseum, at least they tied and

then they had a big defeat at Thymoplye and their armies were in retreat. They were

heading back south, the Athenians to Athens, the Peloponnesians to the Peloponnesus.

And you mentioned that the Peloponnesians they're heading back to the Peloponnes itself.

Does this sound as if this splitting of forces, do they not at the moment have a clear idea

of where they're going to face the Persians next?

So yes there is a division between them, the Greek fleet actually I should say just to

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