Galaxy/The codex of Artemisia

Artemisia I of Caria (Ancient Greek Ἀρτεμισία; fl. 480 BCE) was queen of Halicarnassus and nearby islands within the Achaemenid satrapy of Caria. She fought as an ally of Xerxes I in the second Persian invasion of Greece, commanded ships at Artemisium and Salamis, and is praised by Herodotus — himself a Halicarnassian — for courage and counsel.

Adapted from Wikipedia, "Artemisia I of Caria" · CC BY-SA 4.0

I.Queen and admiral

Daughter of Lygdamis I by a Cretan mother, she takes the throne after her husband's death while their son Pisindelis is still young. Voluntarily she joins Xerxes' armament with five ships reputed second only to Sidon's; Herodotus marvels that a woman went of her own high-hearted valour.

Before Salamis she alone advises against a naval battle. In the fighting, pursued by an Athenian ship, she rams a friendly Calyndian vessel; the Athenians break off, thinking her a Greek or deserter, while Xerxes — mistaking the victim for an enemy — praises her as men becoming women and women men.

II.Homonym care

The atlas id artemisia-halicarnassus is Artemisia I, the Salamis commander. Later Carian queens of the same name (notably Artemisia II, Mausolus' widow) are distinct historical figures.

AT A GLANCE

Greek nameArtemisia (Ἀρτεμισία)
Typemortal
Domainsqueen of Halicarnassus · naval commander at Salamis
ParentageLygdamis
SymbolsFive ships of Halicarnassus · Persian and Greek standards (stratagem) · Salamis command
Cult centersHalicarnassus · Kos, Nisyros, Kalymnos · Delphi (Pausanias saw her statue among Persian figures)
EtymologyGreek Ἀρτεμισία, related to the goddess Artemis; she belongs to the Lygdamid dynasty of Halicarnassus.
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