The Battle of Salamis, fought in 480 BCE in the straits between mainland Greece and the island of Salamis, was a pivotal naval conflict during the second Persian invasion of Greece, led by King Xerxes of the Achaemenid Empire. This battle saw the Greek city-states, under the strategic command of Athenian general Themistocles, decisively defeat the larger Persian fleet, marking a significant turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars.

Leading up to Salamis, the Greeks attempted to halt the Persian advance at Thermopylae and Artemisium. Despite fierce resistance, the Greeks were overwhelmed at Thermopylae, and suffered heavy losses at Artemisium, leading to tactical retreats. The fall of these positions allowed the Persians to overrun much of central Greece, capturing Phocis, Boeotia, Attica, and Euboea. In response, Greek forces consolidated at the Isthmus of Corinth, while their navy regrouped at Salamis.

Themistocles, understanding the disadvantageous position of the Greeks, devised a plan to lure the Persian navy into the narrow straits of Salamis. He sent a message to Xerxes falsely claiming the Greek fleet was fragmented and vulnerable, prompting the Persian king to seek a decisive naval battle. The confined waters of Salamis hindered the larger Persian fleet, preventing effective maneuvering and causing disarray. The Greek fleet, better suited for close-quarter combat in such cramped conditions, capitalized on this disorganization, securing a resounding victory.

Following the defeat at Salamis, Xerxes retreated to Asia, leaving a contingent under Mardonius to continue the conquest. However, the subsequent year saw further Greek victories at Plataea and Mycale, where the remnants of the Persian military forces were defeated. These battles effectively ended Persian attempts to annex the Greek mainland and shifted the momentum of the conflict, enabling Greek city-states to take a more aggressive stance in the ongoing wars.

The victory at Salamis not only thwarted the Persian naval threat but also preserved Greek independence and influenced the future trajectory of Western civilization, reinforcing the strategic importance of naval power and tactical ingenuity.