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The choice of the point of conflict with the Persians in Salamina was excellently studied by them The ancient Greeks And not by chance, since it was based on knowledge of local climatic conditions. This is demonstrated by a new study by the Center for Research in Atmospheric Physics and Climatology of the Academy of Athens, led by the academic professor Christos Zerefos, published in the international scientific journal Atmosphere.
This September marks the 2,500th anniversary of the naval battle of Salamis. At the end of September 480 a. The Greek fleet, with small forces but with excellent tactics and under the leadership of Themistocles, carried out one of the most decisive victories in history. The new study shows that the inspiring strategy of the great leader was based largely on the fact that the ancient Greeks and Themistocles himself were aware of the climatic conditions and especially of the winds that blow in the Strait of Salamis, adapting their strategic planning accordingly take advantage of your daily fluctuations.
Scientific findings show that the combination of a northwesterly wind blowing at night, with the sea breeze rising after 10:00, formed a wind “clamp”, that, as the day progressed, caught the persian fleet in Salamina. The climate analysis of the wind field in the area where the naval battle took place was based on the measurements available from the meteorological stations in the area, as well as the data from the ERA5 and WRF climate and meteorological models for the period 1960-2019. along with historical evidence from the start. sources (“Histories” of Herodotus, “Persia” of Aeschylus, etc.).
According to the results of the research, the climatic conditions that prevail today in the region are similar to those that prevailed 2,500 years ago. The main cause of meltemi, which blows from the north, generally in directions in the Aegean during the warm season, is the combination of the monsoon low, that is, a thermal low that is created over the wider area of the Indian subcontinent. , with the high pressures that prevail during the summer on the Balkans and Central Europe.
The above combination results in creating an improved north current in the Aegean with the name “annually” (meaning “repeated annually”). These climatic conditions were first described by Aristotle in his book “Meteorological”. At the local level, the weakening of meltemia in September favors the predominance of smaller traffic systems, such as sea breezes (batis-boukadoura).
The Greeks knew the local climate and adapted their strategic plan accordingly. The Persian fleet took battle positions on the coast of Attica (Amfiali-Perama) during the night. However, with the first light of day, the Greek ships, instead of trying to escape, as the Persians hoped, also appeared lined up in battle formation on the Salamis side.
When the Persian fleet moved against the Greek, the Greek ships moved upside down, paddling to the coast of Salamis. According to Plutarch, this maneuver was part of Themistocles’ strategic plan and was aimed at dragging the Persians into the strait and delaying the conflict, waiting for the wind to change. Really, after 10:00 the wind turned southwest (sea breeze) and only then did the Greek counterattack begin.
The sea breeze, combined with the narrowness of the channel, disorganized the Persian fleet. Taller Persian ships were more difficult to pilot, as the wind and waves turned them sideways and thus became an easy target for the pistons of the Greek triremes. Furthermore, the strong breeze from the southeast did not allow the Persians to set sail to retreat quickly to the open Saronic Gulf and carry the conflict there.
Eventually much of the Persian fleet was lost, while the rest of the ships fled to the Gulf of Faliro in the afternoon, when the winds completed their daily cycle and returned to the northwest. According to Herodotus, the west wind “Zephyrus” carried the remains of the Persian fleet to the area of present-day Agios Kosmas, marking the end of the Persian presence in the Mediterranean.
The research team included, in addition to Christos Zerefos, researchers from the Academy of Athens Stavros Solomos, Ioannis Kapsomenakis and Christos Repapis, as well as professor from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Dimitris Melas. The study was funded by Mariolopouleio – Kanagineio Foundation for Environmental Sciences.
Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ
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