[Leica] [IMG] Saving the Western World

[John Nebel]

<http://photos.csd.net/athens_s_gi.html>

Tetradrachm 483-480 BC
O: Athena wearing a crested Corinthian helmet
R: Owl, olive branch left, ΑΘΕ right, Α off the flan

By 483 BC, the Athenians had discovered a new, large silver deposit in their 
Laurion mines.   One foresighted Athenian, Themistokles, persuaded the Athenian 
assembly that the newly mined silver should be used to pay for expansion of 
their navy. He knew the Persians were planning an invasion, although he used a 
local adversary, the Aeginetans as a more immediate and publicly acceptable 
reason for the naval expansion. As a result of Themistocles's persuasion, the 
Athenian navy was increased by 200 ships, triremes, three banks of oars, each 
ship to be manned by a crew of 200.

In 480 BC, under the command of Xerxes, the Great King, an immense Persian army 
and navy invaded the fiercely independent collection of city-states comprising 
the Greek world. Cities surrendered, often without a fight, but a few stood 
fast, allied with the Spartans and Athenians.  A crack contingent of Spartans 
had been destroyed at Thermopylai and the Persians prepared to invade Athens 
although the Greek tenacity at Thermopylai had surprised Xerxes. The Athenians 
panicked, and again Themistokles intervened.  He convinced his fellow Athenians 
that a Pythian oracle advising them to seek refuge within wooden walls must be 
interpreted that the Athenians should take refuge in their triremes, ships of 
wood, which most indeed did.

Herodotus 7.143-4

"But a wall made of wood does farsighted Zeus to Tritogenes (Athena) grant
Alone and unravaged, to help you and your children.
Do not await peacefully the horse and the foot,
The army gigantic that comes from the mainland;
Withdraw, turn your backs, though someday you still will meet face to face"

Athens was abandoned by its citizens, transported to safety in her ships, soon 
afterwards invaded and sacked by the Persians.

The Persian navy pursued the Athenian and allied cities' ships, thinking them 
cornered, and Themistokles intervened yet again, persuading again with trickery, 
this time that the allied navy must fight the Persians rather than run, 
ultimately resulting in a decisive Greek naval victory at Salamis. The Persian 
defeat was viewed personally by Xerxes, watching from a throne on a nearby 
hilltop. Xerxes fully expected to be entertained by viewing a slaughter of the 
Greeks, thereby bloodily demonstrating his absolute power. Instead, Xerxes 
fearing for his life after the naval defeat, fled to Asia leaving behind only 
part of his army, the remaining men commanded by Mardonius, who, the next spring 
was killed with much of the remaining Persian force at the decisive infantry 
battle of Plataia.

The allied navy and its victory at Salamis was the turning point, the Persian 
invasion had been stopped, the west had been saved from Persian domination. The 
coin shown is part of the emergency coinage of the Laurion silver used to pay 
for constructing and manning the Athenians' ships.