Battle of Syme

Sea battle at Syme

Part of: Peloponnesian War

date	411 BC Chr.
place	at the island of Syme
output	strategic victory of Sparta

Parties to the conflict
Athens	Sparta
Commander
Charminos	Astyochus
Troop strength
20 ships	much more
losses
6 ships	3 ships

The Battle of Syme was a naval battle in the Peloponnesian War that took place in 411 BC. . BC between the fleets of Athens and Sparta was held.

In the year 412 BC The Spartan Therimenes succeeded in bringing about an alliance between Persia and Sparta against Athens. At the turn of the year he handed over the Spartan fleet to his successor, the new sea ​​lord Astyochos , who sailed to Knidos that winter in order to attract 27 more ships. The Athenian fleet, under the command of Charminos, was in Samos at this time . Since Charminos had learned of the plans of the Spartans, he wanted to put Astyochos with some of his ships near the island of Syme , between Knidos and Rhodes .

The fleets met during a storm with poor visibility. Some of the Spartan ships had been separated from the main unit. With around twenty ships, Charminos attacked the left wing of the Spartans - the only one he could recognize - and sank three enemy ships in the process. But then the other Spartan ships arrived and surrounded the Athenians. After Charminos had lost six ships in the process, he withdrew to Halicarnassus . Astyochus then sailed to Knidos, where he united with the 27 ships, and then returned to Syme to erect a victory mark on the island. The Athenian ships held in reserve in Samos now also hurried up. But since both sides avoided another battle, the stalemate remained.

The Spartans had achieved their primary goal, the unification of their fleets, and initially limited themselves to repairing their ships in Knidos. The Athenians had to fight three more naval battles within a year to face the new threat.

Individual evidence

1. ^ Thucydides , Peloponnesian War , VIII 41–43.