forty-three

ARTEMISIA WAS QUEEN of Halicarnassus in Asia Minor. She sailed with Xerxes, King of Persia, against the Greeks in 480 B.C. She was unique, being the only woman to fight in the war, a war which involved millions of men. She did not have to do this. Her husband had died, passing the sovereignty to her, but she had a grown-up son who could have led her forces. Artemisia was moved by the spirit of adventure.

Herodotus gives a very favourable account of Artemisia, possibly because he too came from Halicarnassus. Artemisia led a small squadron of ships, captaining the flagship herself, and gained a reputation for her prowess in war. The Greeks particularly hated the fact that a woman was fighting against them and offered a large reward for her capture but she was never taken.

Artemisia also gained a reputation as a shrewd adviser to the King. She was the only one of Xerxes’s counsellors who advised him against fighting the battle of Salamis, saying that the huge Persian army should continue the war on land rather than sea. Xerxes did not take her advice and went on to suffer a catastrophic defeat at Salamis. His fleet was routed and his entire plan to conquer Greece suffered a severe setback. This increased Artemisia’s reputation because her advice was proved to have been correct and Xerxes realised he should have paid heed to it.

Another event occurred during the battle which further increased her reputation. The vast Persian fleet, being outfought and outmanoeuvred by the superior Greek navy, was in full retreat. Artemisia’s ship was fleeing along with the rest and she found herself hemmed in between a Greek pursuer and a ship of her own fleet which was blocking her retreat. Without hesitation Artemisia rammed this ship even though it was on her side. It sank with all hands. Her Greek pursuer, seeing this, presumed that Artemisia’s ship must in fact be on his side and ceased the pursuit, allowing Artemisia to escape.

Xerxes was watching the battle from a hill near the shore.

“Do you see how well Artemisia is fighting?” said one of his advisers. “She has just sunk an enemy ship.”

Xerxes, distressed about the destruction of his fleet, at least had one thing to be glad about, and made a comment which was to become well known. “What has happened to my army? The men have turned into women and the women have turned into men.”

He later entrusted Queen Artemisia with the safe conduct of his children back to their home, which was a task of great importance and some danger.

Artemisia’s immediate descendants built the Mausoleum, a famous building in Antiquity, parts of which can still be seen in the British Museum. “It’s my favourite story from Herodotus,” said Aran. “Would you like to hear my favourite story from Thucydides?”

“No,” replied Elfish. “You know I can only listen to one story at a time.”

“Very well,” said Aran. “I’m going to put Artemisia into my video game. Would you like to play my video game?”

“Absolutely not. I detest your video game. Help me with the speech.”