Ancient Greek Naval Wars
The Battle of Catana (397 B.C.E):
The Battle of Catana took place in the summer of 397 B.C.E., when the Greek fleet of Syracuse engaged the Carthaginian fleet near the city of Catana in Sicily. The Carthaginian force of 50,000 men along with 400 triremes and 600 transports were sent to to Sicily in 397 B.C.E, and were joined by 30,000 Sicilians. When the Greek warships arrived at Catana, they advanced their ships on the Carthaginians. Although the Greek fleet was outnumbered, their ships were larger and heavier, and carried more soldiers and missile troops on board. The Carthaginian fleet crushed the Greeks.
The Battle of Syracuse (415 B.C.E):
This battle was fought in 415 B.C.E., between Syracuse of Sicily, and Athens of Greece, when ancient Greece tried to conquer Syracuse. The Athenians began the battle when they advanced attack, which caught the Syracusans by surprise, but they were able to resist the Athenian advance, and a hard-fought battle followed. The Athenians had not expected such a hard fight, but eventually the Syracusan line began to give way, and an Athenian victory was won close to the shore south of the of Syracuse.
The Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.E):
Maybe considered the greatest sea battle in Greek history, the battle of Salamis was fought on at Salamis (an island not far from Athens). It was fought in 480 B.C.E between the Greeks and the Persians. The war was resolved when the Persians got trapped in narrow channels, and they were attacked by about 380 Greek ships. 200 Persian ships were sunk or damaged, and hundreds of Persians were killed. It was a great victory for the Greeks.
The Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.E):
The battle of Marathon was fought in on the plain of Marathon, near the city-state of Athens. In 490 B.C.E., about 15,000 foot soldiers and cavalry were sent across the Aegean Sea by boat to Greece. The Persians lost about 6,400 soldiers. The Greeks lost 192. A clever military strategy and better weapons helped the Athenians win a stunning victory. But this battle with the Persians marked only the beginning of the Persian wars.
The Battle of Alalia(540- 535 B.C.E):
The naval battle of Alalia took place between 540 B.C.E and 535 B.C.E off the coast of Corsica between Greece and the allied Etruscans, and Carthaginians. This battle started when the Greeks arrived in the midwestern Mediterranean in 750 B.C.E. The Greeks had driven the Carthaginians off, but had lost almost two-thirds of their own fleet in doing so.
The Battle of Catana took place in the summer of 397 B.C.E., when the Greek fleet of Syracuse engaged the Carthaginian fleet near the city of Catana in Sicily. The Carthaginian force of 50,000 men along with 400 triremes and 600 transports were sent to to Sicily in 397 B.C.E, and were joined by 30,000 Sicilians. When the Greek warships arrived at Catana, they advanced their ships on the Carthaginians. Although the Greek fleet was outnumbered, their ships were larger and heavier, and carried more soldiers and missile troops on board. The Carthaginian fleet crushed the Greeks.
The Battle of Syracuse (415 B.C.E):
This battle was fought in 415 B.C.E., between Syracuse of Sicily, and Athens of Greece, when ancient Greece tried to conquer Syracuse. The Athenians began the battle when they advanced attack, which caught the Syracusans by surprise, but they were able to resist the Athenian advance, and a hard-fought battle followed. The Athenians had not expected such a hard fight, but eventually the Syracusan line began to give way, and an Athenian victory was won close to the shore south of the of Syracuse.
The Battle of Salamis (480 B.C.E):
Maybe considered the greatest sea battle in Greek history, the battle of Salamis was fought on at Salamis (an island not far from Athens). It was fought in 480 B.C.E between the Greeks and the Persians. The war was resolved when the Persians got trapped in narrow channels, and they were attacked by about 380 Greek ships. 200 Persian ships were sunk or damaged, and hundreds of Persians were killed. It was a great victory for the Greeks.
The Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.E):
The battle of Marathon was fought in on the plain of Marathon, near the city-state of Athens. In 490 B.C.E., about 15,000 foot soldiers and cavalry were sent across the Aegean Sea by boat to Greece. The Persians lost about 6,400 soldiers. The Greeks lost 192. A clever military strategy and better weapons helped the Athenians win a stunning victory. But this battle with the Persians marked only the beginning of the Persian wars.
The Battle of Alalia(540- 535 B.C.E):
The naval battle of Alalia took place between 540 B.C.E and 535 B.C.E off the coast of Corsica between Greece and the allied Etruscans, and Carthaginians. This battle started when the Greeks arrived in the midwestern Mediterranean in 750 B.C.E. The Greeks had driven the Carthaginians off, but had lost almost two-thirds of their own fleet in doing so.