Into which straits did Themistocles lure the Persian navy after Thermopylae?

Themistocles lured the Persian navy into the Straits of Salamis after Thermopylae. The confined waters helped the smaller Greek fleet defeat Xerxes’ larger force in 480 BCE.

After the Greek defeat at Thermopylae, Persian troops advanced into central Greece and captured Athens. The allied Greek fleet withdrew to Salamis, where Themistocles argued that narrow waters would reduce the Persian advantage in numbers and maneuverability.

According to the ancient account, Themistocles sent his servant Sicinnus to Xerxes with misleading news that the Greeks were divided and preparing to flee. Xerxes took the bait and ordered his fleet to enter the straits to block the Greek escape. The ensuing battle turned the cramped channel into a trap for the Persian ships.

Salamis is sometimes confused with Artemisium, the earlier naval battle fought at roughly the same time as Thermopylae. Artemisium checked the Persian fleet but did not produce the decisive Greek victory associated with Themistocles’ stratagem.