To What Extent Was Themistocles Responsible for Greek Victory in the Persian Wars?
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To what extent was Themistocles responsible for the Greek victory in the Persian Wars?
Daniel Ashby
Themistocles was responsible for the Greek victory in the Persian wars to a considerable extent. The key to Athens' strength in the 5th Century BC was in this general and statesman and therefore, as Greek victory relied so heavily on Athens, Themistocles vitally contributed to the outcome of the Persian king’s invasion of 480-479 BC. His early life reflects the character and skills developed that were responsible for these contributions. Five pivotal roles he undertook were of varying degrees responsible for Greece’s success against Xerxes. Themistocles possessed an incredible foresight and began to prepare against the inevitable Persian invasion early on, his political leadership to a domestic level in Athens contributed to the state’s naval strength, and similarly, his political leadership in the conception of a united Greek defence was a significant achievement. As well as this, Themistocles’ strategy in key battle such as Thermopylae, Artemisium and Salamis were vital to to war effort.
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To be able to understand to what extent Themistocles was responsible for Greek victory in the Persian Wars it first needs to be discussed how he rose to the position of authority and developed the skills that were required of him to make such a substantial impact on the war effort. For as Aristotle said many years later, ‘If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.’ It is evident that Themistocles’ early life reflects his character and his decisive actions seen later in his life.
Themistocles began removing class distinction at a very young age, something that would aid his political career and influence the war effort in the future considerably. In about 520 BC Themistocles is born of the merchant Neocles of Phrearrhioi and his Thracian wife Abrotonon. Phanius, a ‘philosopher well
To what extent was Themistocles responsible for the Greek victory in the Persian Wars?
Daniel Ashby
Themistocles was responsible for the Greek victory in the Persian wars to a considerable extent. The key to Athens' strength in the 5th Century BC was in this general and statesman and therefore, as Greek victory relied so heavily on Athens, Themistocles vitally contributed to the outcome of the Persian king’s invasion of 480-479 BC. His early life reflects the character and skills developed that were responsible for these contributions. Five pivotal roles he undertook were of varying degrees responsible for Greece’s success against Xerxes. Themistocles possessed an incredible foresight and began to prepare against the inevitable Persian invasion early on, his political leadership to a domestic level in Athens contributed to the state’s naval strength, and similarly, his political leadership in the conception of a united Greek defence was a significant achievement. As well as this, Themistocles’ strategy in key battle such as Thermopylae, Artemisium and Salamis were vital to to war effort.
***
To be able to understand to what extent Themistocles was responsible for Greek victory in the Persian Wars it first needs to be discussed how he rose to the position of authority and developed the skills that were required of him to make such a substantial impact on the war effort. For as Aristotle said many years later, ‘If you would understand anything, observe its beginning and its development.’ It is evident that Themistocles’ early life reflects his character and his decisive actions seen later in his life.
Themistocles began removing class distinction at a very young age, something that would aid his political career and influence the war effort in the future considerably. In about 520 BC Themistocles is born of the merchant Neocles of Phrearrhioi and his Thracian wife Abrotonon. Phanius, a ‘philosopher well
Bibliography: Modern Historians: Bury, John Bagnell (1861 - 1927) Meiggs, Russel (1902 – June 24, 1989) The British ancient historian served as prefect of Keble College, Oxforfrom 1945 until 1969 Greg, Ong. ‘How important was Themistocles to Athens in the first half of the 5th Century BC?’. September 22, 1997 http://members.fortunecity.com/surfcom/essays/themisto.html Haywood, J. ‘Historical Atlas of Ancient Civilisations’. Penguin Books Ltd: New York, 2005. p. 50-51 & 102-105 Herodotus Pacal. ‘The Decree of Themistocles and Military Probability’. July 21, 2009 http://makinapacalatxilbalba.blogspot.com/2009/07/degree-of-themistocles-and-military.html Thayer, B. Online Book: ‘The Parallel Lives by Plutarch’. Vol. II Loeb Classical Library Edition, 1914 http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Themistocles*.html Watson, J. Online Book: ‘Cornelius Nepos: Lives of Eminent Commanders’. 1886. p. 305-450 http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/bl/bl_text_nepos_comdrsthemistocles.htm#Themistocles