In the summer of 480 BC, after the Battle of Thermopylae, most Greek cities have been subjugated by the Persians, who burn and destroy everything in their path. With the urging of Themistocles, the Athenians abandon their city, which is later looted and set on fire by the Persian army.
The Greek generals propose to gather at the Isthmus and wait there for the attack of the Persian fleet. In these difficult moments, Themistocles proves to be a great and charismatic leader. He decisively imposes on his shaken allies to engage in a naval battle in the straits of Salamis. Themistocles' plan is put into action and the Persian fleet, despite its numerical superiority, is crushed after a twelve-hour struggle.
This book, based on texts by ancient Greek writers, aims to give us as faithful a description as possible of the events and especially the reasons that led to the conflict between Greeks and Persians.