This question is certainly debateable, as we rely solely on only two forms of evidence documenting the Battle of Salamis, Herodotus’ ‘The Histories’ and Aeschylus’ ‘The Persians’. One could argue that the legitimacy of these sources are questionable, in Herodotus’ case, because it was written some half a century after the event, in contrast to Aeschylus writing around 8/9 years after. On the other hand, historians could argue that Herodotus’ ‘inquiry’ style of documentation is more reliable than Aeschylus’ play, which would certainly have been dramatized and perhaps exaggerated in order to win the famous ‘Dionysia’, a theatre competition in Athens. In regards to the question, some might suggest that it was Greek Superiority that defeated the Persians, perhaps due to their tactics in battle, luring the Persians up the narrow straight which disastrously meant they found it extremely difficult to fight. This was caused by the inferiority of the Persians ships, which were large and difficult to steer in comparison to the Greeks swift and agile comparisons. Another contributing factor may have been the leadership of the General, Themistocles. A manipulative and scheming character, as portrayed by Herodotus, he was the only person who deciphered the prophecy from Delphi, which described the Athenians building a “Wooden wall”. Some believed this to be a wall around the Acropolis, however Themistocles decided it was a ‘wooden wall’ of ships in a brand new Navy. He convinced supporting generals to go along with his plan, therefore producing the band of ships that lead them to victory.Alternatively, historians may argue that is was Persian Hubris that caused their defeat, more specifically that of their leader, Xerxes. Both Herodotus and Aeschylus describe the Persian King to be hubristic and a brutal leader. Herodotus vividly describes him lashing the sea with a whip in punishment for the collapse of a bridge across the Hellespont from a storm. Aeschylus creates a scene of Xerxes fall from grace due to his hubris, at the end of the play entering in rags whilst the chorus condemn him for his actions. This hubris lead to a lack of organisation and communication between his armies, also made difficult by the many different languages spoken from the multiple nations Xerxes had defeated, but also by his failure to think as a collective nation, unlike the Greeks who valued their shared heritage: “forward you sons of Hellas!”.
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