Dr. Barry S. Strauss - Professor of History & Classics at Cornell University
The Phyrric victory by the Persian army at Thermopylae and the subsequent triumph by the Greek navy at Salamis yielded dissimilar results for the Hellenes. However, these battles became inextricably linked as they had a profound influence on the landscape of Western Civilization.
Dr. Barry Strauss' 'The Battle of Salamis' is one of the most erudite and comprehensive volumes on this pivotal battle of the Greco-Persian Wars. Students of history should read this book as the Battle of Salamis has been accorded its proper place as one of naval history's defining moments.
As the professor of
History at Cornell University and acclaimed author on several books and
articles about ancient Greece, Dr. Strauss' opinion has been sought out
by the media on a variety of subjects in the ancient world. In addition, his book entitled 'The Trojan War' received stellar reviews which
further confirmed that he is one of the leading authorities on
ancient Greece.
The trireme 'Olympias' - Image courtesy of Dr. Barry Strauss
Reviews of 'The Battle of Salamis' by Barry Strauss (see below)
Victor Davis Hanson Senior Fellow, the Hoover Institute, author of Carnage and Culture & Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power.
Barry Strauss is one of the best ancient naval historians alive, and in The Battle of Salamis he combines his classical expertise with his natural gifts as a storyteller to make the inexplicable Greek victory not just explicable -- but captivating as well. The ensuing drama is as riveting as it is historically accurate.
Dava Sobel author of Longitude and Galileo's Daughter.
Barry Strauss is the Patrick O'Brian of the Persian-Greek war that set the course of western history. He builds a cast-of-thousands classical drama as exciting as any modern epic on a base of astounding detail.
R. James Woolsey Vice President, Booz Allen Hamilton, and former Director of Central Intelligence.
Led by a shrewd and bold commander, the sailors of the world's first democracy -- badly outnumbered, their capital destroyed -- drew strength from their freedom and crushed the forces of the massive Persian Empire to save the dawning of Western Civilization. Superbly told, and as dramatic as history gets.
Steven Pressfield author of Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae.
A ripping yarn of a world at the brink of annihilation and of the heroes (and fools) who brought it back from the edge. Strauss's deep scholarship and clear prose bring the men and the era alive. We can see the ships and smell the action, but more importantly, we understand what it meant -- for the Greeks then and for all of us now. This is the indispensable work on Salamis.
