10-07-2009, 11:23 AM
Jona
I think yo umiss the first night in Artemisio. Cilicians (armed and trained like Greeks - good marines too) were wiped out in a night raid.
Phoinicians were reliable but the high king would probably not risk them. The same would apply to Lycians. The rest of the conscripted fleet was suspect.
Remeber the writngs inciting mutiny that Themistokles had left?.
It was a complex manuver that also carried the risk of a flank attack from the Greek fleet nearby. The Artemision fight were not very encouraging to the High King. There only two place where you can land in Salamis: Aianteio that was a fortified town and probalby Athenians had fortified the other approach (Pefkakia the modern tourist area).
There Atheninan and Megarean hoplites at Kynosargres and Tripodiskos. An uniklely threat but still a threat. Persian raiding parties in Megaris had been defeated.
Do not understimate the traumatic battle shock of Thermopylae with its horrific casualty rate. They wouldn't be happy to fight head on formed hoplites without some way to by pass them and encricle them. Landing parties could be defeated piece meal as they were landing.
Kind regards
I think yo umiss the first night in Artemisio. Cilicians (armed and trained like Greeks - good marines too) were wiped out in a night raid.
Phoinicians were reliable but the high king would probably not risk them. The same would apply to Lycians. The rest of the conscripted fleet was suspect.
Remeber the writngs inciting mutiny that Themistokles had left?.
It was a complex manuver that also carried the risk of a flank attack from the Greek fleet nearby. The Artemision fight were not very encouraging to the High King. There only two place where you can land in Salamis: Aianteio that was a fortified town and probalby Athenians had fortified the other approach (Pefkakia the modern tourist area).
There Atheninan and Megarean hoplites at Kynosargres and Tripodiskos. An uniklely threat but still a threat. Persian raiding parties in Megaris had been defeated.
Do not understimate the traumatic battle shock of Thermopylae with its horrific casualty rate. They wouldn't be happy to fight head on formed hoplites without some way to by pass them and encricle them. Landing parties could be defeated piece meal as they were landing.
Kind regards
HOPLITE14GR (aka Stefanos)
Phokean Ekdromos
http://hetairoi.de/
http://hoplomachia.gr
http://stefanosskarmintzos.wordpress.com
Phokean Ekdromos
http://hetairoi.de/
http://hoplomachia.gr
http://stefanosskarmintzos.wordpress.com
