KYRIAKOS MARIDAKIS
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT
Salamis – Eternal Cradle of Liberty, Democracy and Values
On the occasion of the 2502th anniversary of the great historical event of the Naval Battle of Salamis, which saved Greek culture heritage and democracy.
This year marks the 2502-year anniversary of the famed Naval Battle of Salamis between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire.
This clash of civilizations is considered by many to be one of the most important battles in world history. The Greek victory ensured the key influence that Greek civilization would have in the western world.
The Naval battle of Salamis constitutes the birthday of the Western Civilization, is considered by many historians to be one of the most decisive in history, and much archaeological evidence found there has shed light on the battle and its aftermath.
Between 480 B.C. and the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War in 431 B.C. Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles, Aristophanes, Socrates, Ictinus, Callicrates, Phidias, Thucydides and many more, lived and worked in Athens. Never again in world history, so many talented writers, scientists, and artists lived in such a small city, in such a short time. Victory at Salamis preserved Greek Freedom and paved the way for the great accomplishments of Classical Greece that still define the ideals, values and culture of the West.
The Eastern Mediterranean is as important today as it was 2502 years ago and is the scene of serious conflicts and clashes of civilizations. The history of the region has provided inter alia the democratic roots for European and other civilizations, and for this a great debt is owed to those who fought in Salamis and won determining the fate of nations.