Artemisia i of caria biography sample

People > Artemesia I of Caria

Background

Artemisia I of Caria was a prominent female ruler and naval commander in the early 5th century BCE. She is most famous for her participation in the Greco-Persian Wars as an ally of the Persian king Xerxes I. Her strategic acumen and leadership skills earned her a notable place in ancient history, particularly in the context of the Battle of Salamis. Here’s an in-depth look at Artemisia I, her life, and her historical significance:

Early Life and Background

1. Dynastic Background:

   • Artemisia I was born into the ruling family of Caria, a region in southwestern Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Caria was a semi-autonomous satrapy under the Persian Empire.
   • She was the daughter of Lygdamis I, the ruler of Halicarnassus (the capital of Caria), and her mother was from Crete.

2. Name and Title:

   • Artemisia’s name is derived from the Greek goddess Artemis, indicating the Hellenistic influences in Caria despite its Persian allegiance.
   • She became the ruler of Caria after the death of her husband, whose name is not recorded, and governed as a client queen under Persian suzerainty.

Role in the Greco-Persian Wars

1. Allegiance to Persia:

   • As a vassal of the Persian Empire, Artemisia I supported King Xerxes I in his campaign to conquer Greece. Her involvement in the war effort is well-documented by ancient historians, particularly Herodotus, who himself hailed from Halicarnassus.

2. Battle of Salamis ( BCE):

   • Artemisia I commanded a fleet of five ships during the Battle of Salamis, a crucial naval engagement between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire.
   • Herodotus records that she was the only female commander in Xerxes’ fleet and that her ships were among the most effective in the Persian navy.

3. Strategic Acumen:

   • According to Herodotus, Artemisia demonstrated considerable strategic insight during the battle. She advised Xerxes against engaging the Greek fleet in the narrow straits

Ancient Greek queen of the 5th century BC

For the female satrap and builder of the Mausoleum, see Artemisia II of Caria.

Artemisia I of Caria (Ancient Greek: Ἀρτεμισία; fl. BC) was a queen of the ancient Greek city-state of Halicarnassus, which is now in Bodrum, present-day Turkey. She was also queen of the nearby islands of Kos, Nisyros and Kalymnos, within the Achaemenidsatrapy of Caria, in about BC. She was of Carian-Greek ethnicity by her father Lygdamis I, and half-Cretan by her mother. She fought as an ally of Xerxes I, King of Persia against the independent Greek city states during the second Persian invasion of Greece. She personally commanded ships at the naval battle of Artemisium and at the naval Battle of Salamis in BC. She is mostly known through the writings of Herodotus, himself a native of Halicarnassus, who praises her courage and relates the respect in which she was held by Xerxes.

Family

Artemisia's father was the satrap of Halicarnassus, Lygdamis I (Λύγδαμις Α') and her mother was from the island of Crete. She took the throne after the death of her husband, as she had a son, named Pisindelis (Πισίνδηλις), who was still a youth. Artemisia's grandson, Lygdamis II (Λύγδαμις Β'), was the satrap of Halicarnassus when Herodotus was exiled from there and the poet Panyasis (Πανύασις) was sentenced to death, after the unsuccessful uprising against him.

Second Persian invasion of Greece

Main article: Battle of Salamis

According to Thessalus, the King of Persia demanded earth and water from the Coans in BC but they refused, and so he gave the island to Artemisia to be wasted. Artemisia led a fleet of ships to Cos to slaughter the Coans, but Thessalus claimed that Zeus intervened and Artemisia's ships were destroyed by lightning, and she was forced to retreat.

Artemisia I of Caria (Ancient&#;Greek: Ἀρτεμισία; fl. BC) was a queen of the Achaemenid Persian satrapy province of Caria, mostly known through the writings of Herodotus for taking the side of the Persian king Xerxes during the Greco-Persian wars. Her father was the satrap of Halicarnassus Lygdamis I (Greek: Λύγδαμις Α') and her mother was from the island of Crete. She took the throne after the death of her husband, as she had a son, named Pisindelis (Greek: Πισίνδηλις), who was still a youth.

She was an ally of Xerxes I during the Second Persian invasion of Greece. She fought at the naval Battle of Artemisium and the naval Battle of Salamis at BC as a commander in the Persian navy. She was the only female commander.

Her grandson, Lygdamis II, was the ruler of Halicarnassus when Herodotus left from there.

Herodotus praises her decisiveness and her intelligence and emphasizes her influence on Xerxes.

Family and name[]

The name Artemisia derives from Artemis (n, f.; Roman equivalent: Diana), itself of unknown origin and etymology although various ones have been proposed; for example according to Jablonski, the name is also Phrygian and could be "compared with the royal appellation Artemas of Xenophon; according to Charles Anthon the primitive root of the name is probably of Persian origin from arta*, art*, arte*,.. all meaning great, excellent, holy,.. thus Artemis "becomes identical with the great moth

For the female satrap and builder of the Mausoleum, see Artemisia II of Caria.

Artemisia I of Caria (Ancient Greek: Ἀρτεμισία; fl. BC) was a queen of the ancient Greek city-state of Halicarnassus and of the nearby islands of Kos, Nisyros and Kalymnos, within the Achaemenidsatrapy of Caria, in about BC. She was of Carian-Greek ethnicity by her father Lygdamis I, and half-Cretan by her mother. She fought as an ally of Xerxes I, King of Persia against the independent Greek city states during the second Persian invasion of Greece. She personally commanded her contribution of five ships at the naval battle of Artemisium and in the naval Battle of Salamis in BC. She is mostly known through the writings of Herodotus, himself a native of Halicarnassus, who praises her courage and the respect in which Xerxes held her.

Family and name

Artemisia's father was the satrap of Halicarnassus, Lygdamis I (Λύγδαμις Α') and her mother was from the island of Crete. She took the throne after the death of her husband, as she had a son, named Pisindelis (Πισίνδηλις), who was still a youth. Artemisia's grandson, Lygdamis II (Λύγδαμις Β'), was the satrap of Halicarnassus when Herodotus was exiled from there and the poet Panyasis (Πανύασις) was sentenced to death, after the unsuccessful uprising against him.

The name Artemisia derives from Artemis (n, f.; Roman equivalent: Diana), itself of unknown origin and