<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> <Ul> <Li> Thermopylae </Li> <Li> Artemisium </Li> <Li> Salamis </Li> <Li> Potidea </Li> <Li> Olynthus </Li> <Li> Plataea </Li> <Li> Mycale </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> Thermopylae </Li> <Li> Artemisium </Li> <Li> Salamis </Li> <Li> Potidea </Li> <Li> Olynthus </Li> <Li> Plataea </Li> <Li> Mycale </Li> </Ul> <P> The Battle of Salamis (/ ˈsæləmɪs /; Ancient Greek: Ναυμαχία τῆς Σαλαμῖνος, Naumachia tēs Salaminos) was a naval battle fought between an alliance of Greek city - states under Themistocles and the Persian Empire under King Xerxes in 480 BC which resulted in a decisive victory for the outnumbered Greeks . The battle was fought in the straits between the mainland and Salamis, an island in the Saronic Gulf near Athens, and marked the high - point of the second Persian invasion of Greece . </P> <P> To block the Persian advance, a small force of Greeks blocked the pass of Thermopylae, while an Athenian - dominated Allied navy engaged the Persian fleet in the nearby straits of Artemisium . In the resulting Battle of Thermopylae, the rearguard of the Greek force was annihilated, whilst in the Battle of Artemisium the Greeks had heavy losses and retreated after the loss at Thermopylae . This allowed the Persians to conquer Phocis, Boeotia, Attica, and Euboea . The Allies prepared to defend the Isthmus of Corinth whilst the fleet was withdrawn to nearby Salamis Island . </P>

When did the battle of salamis take place