Great Naval Battles of the Ancient Greek World

by Owen Rees

Naval warfare is the unsung hero of ancient Greek military history, often overshadowed by the more glorified land battles. Owen Rees looks to redress the balance, giving naval battles their due attention. This book presents a selection of thirteen naval battles that span a defining century in ancient Greek history, from the Ionian Revolt and Persian Invasion to the rise of external naval powers in the Mediterranean Sea, such as the Carthaginians.Each battle is set in context. The background, wider military campaigns, and the opposing forces are discussed, followed by a narrative and analysis of the fighting. Finally, the aftermath of the battles are dealt with, looking at the strategic implications of the outcome for both the victor and the defeated. The battle narratives are supported by maps and tactical diagrams, showing the deployment of the fleets and the wider geographical factors involved in battle. Written in an accessible tone, this book successfully shows that Greek naval warfare did not start and end at the battle of Salamis.

Genres: Military Fiction

218 pages, Hardcover

First published February 7, 2019

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Rees draws from various ancient sources to give the reader a good overview of what happened, or may have happened, in these old naval battles. It was an entertaining and informative read.

(I docked a star because the ebook from which I read contains dozens of typographical errors, including incorrect dates. For instance, in the chapter describing a battle of 396 BC, the dates are given as 496; the same error occurs in the next chapter and in other places in the text.)

[P · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gives you a clean timeline of major naval battles. It covers Persian Conflict, Archidamian War, Ionian War and the battles of Catane and Cnidus. Among all the battles, the Battle of Aegospotami (405 BCE) stood out to me because in that battle, the Spartan nuarch, Lysander was able to completely rout the Athenian naval forces without shedding a single drop of blood. Excellent use of Stratagem 1: "Deceive the Heavens to Cross the Sea". Lysander's relationship with Cyrus the younger, the Persian Prince, was rather interesting. However, I had to Google most of the naval tactics such as kyklos, periplous, diekplous. Although there are diagrams showing the geographical positions of the ships, there are no tactical diagrams. The author assumes that we have a basic understanding of these maneuvers. Also, one must be familiar with the coastline cities, straits (like Salamis), harbors (like Syracuse) of the Mediterranean to understand the stage.
Nevertheless, a good book if you want an overview of major Greek naval battles.