Eurybiades facts for kids
Eurybiades was a Spartan commander. He led the Greek navy during the Second Persian invasion. This big war happened between 480 and 479 BC.
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Who Was Eurybiades?
Eurybiades was the son of Eurycleides. He became the leader of the Greek navy in 480 BC. Sparta and other powerful Greek cities were worried about Athens. They didn't want an Athenian to lead the navy. This was even though Athens had very skilled sailors.
Leading the Fleet
Eurybiades' first order was to sail the fleet to Artemisium. This place was north of Euboea. Their goal was to meet the Persian fleet there. When the Greeks arrived, the Persians were already present. Eurybiades wanted to retreat, but the people of Euboea begged him to stay.
They even offered a bribe to Themistocles, the Athenian naval commander. Themistocles then used some of this money to convince Eurybiades to stay. This story comes from the ancient writer Herodotus. The battle at Artemisium didn't have a clear winner. After this, the Greek fleet moved to Salamis Island.
The Battle of Salamis
At first, Eurybiades wanted to move the fleet again. He wanted to go to the Isthmus of Corinth. This was where the Greek armies were building defenses. Themistocles, however, saw that fighting at Salamis was a good idea. He wanted to force a naval battle there.
Eurybiades was very firm about moving the fleet. Themistocles had to threaten to take the Athenian fleet away. The Athenian fleet was the largest part of the Greek forces. This threat made Eurybiades agree to stay.
Later, Themistocles tricked the Persian king Xerxes. He made Xerxes split his fleet. Part of the Persian fleet went around the island to block the Greeks. This trapped Eurybiades' fleet in the Straits of Salamis. Because of this, Eurybiades had to accept Salamis as the battlefield.
The Battle of Salamis was a huge victory for the Greeks. After the battle, Eurybiades did not want to chase the Persian fleet. He also didn't want to sail to the Hellespont. This was where Xerxes had built a bridge of ships. Eurybiades wanted Xerxes to escape. He thought it was better for Xerxes to leave Greece than to stay and restart the land war.
Rewards for Victory
When Eurybiades returned to Sparta, he received an olive wreath. This was a special reward for his success at Salamis. Themistocles also received a similar honor.
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See also
In Spanish: Euribíades para niños
