Many of the city-states united to defeat Persia. Sparta was elected to lead on both land and sea. Athens made a major contribution of ships.
Athens’ made more than a “contribution of ships.” Since Sparta had few ships and little experience with warfare at sea at that time, the Spartian naval command was a place of honor only. The navy was primarily Athenian with a smattering of ships from other cities, and it was Athenian strategy and seamanship that brought about the victories at Salamis and Mycale in the Second Persian War that ended the Persian threat, freeing the Greek cities on the Ionian coast, and paving the way for Alexander’s invasion of Persia in later years.
Athens’ made more than a “contribution of ships.” Since Sparta had few ships and little experience with warfare at sea at that time, the Spartian naval command was a place of honor only. The navy was primarily Athenian with a smattering of ships from other cities, and it was Athenian strategy and seamanship that brought about the victories at Salamis and Mycale in the Second Persian War that ended the Persian threat, freeing the Greek cities on the Ionian coast, and paving the way for Alexander’s invasion of Persia in later years.
