The Sea Battle Tumulus at Salamis revisited

Abstract

The discovery in 1884 of an inscription from the Imperial times that refers to the polyandrion of those who fell in the sea battle of Salamis in 480 BC prompted a large portion of the scientific community to take it for granted that the polyandrion was set up right after the sea battle. However, a more careful analysis of the archaeological data and of the literary sources undermines the unquestioned acceptance of that view. In the present paper, a critical approach to the ancient sources is adopted, as well as an overall assessment of the state of research and of the interpretations proposed for the area.