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Double battle of Salamis. Persian victory on land, and reconquest of Cyprus.

Cyprus is the key of the Levant (Grundy, p. 105). Thence the Greeks could threaten the communications of Persia with the West, since ‘the only really practicable military line of communication’ touches the shore of the Levant at the corner commanded by Cyprus. They could also block the advance of the Phoenician fleet to the Aegean. Its strategic value both for attack and defence led Pausanias in 478 B. C. (Thuc. i. 94) and the Athenians, both in 459 B. C. (Thuc. i. 104) and in 449 B. C. (Thuc. i. 112), again to attempt its liberation.

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hide References (3 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (3):
    • Thucydides, Histories, 1.104
    • Thucydides, Histories, 1.112
    • Thucydides, Histories, 1.94
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