Wonder Woman of the Week: Artemisia I of Caria
The Wonder Woman this week is one of the most famous women admirals of ancient warfare. Artemisia I of Caria was the queen of the Greek city-state of Halicarnassus and a satrap of the Achaemenid- or Persian- Empire. During the Second Persian Invasion of Greece, Artemisia joined the Persian navy. During the naval Battle of Artemisium, Artemisia personally led five ships in the fighting- during which she gained immense respect for her tactical and fighting abilities from the Achaemenid emperor Xerxes himself. Later- at the Battle of Salamis- Artemisia again proved her skill. When Greek coalition ships overwhelmed the Achaemenid fleet, Artemisia managed to lead a small number of ships out of the battle and saved several lives from an otherwise total defeat- but Artemisia's story did not end with the end of the war.
After the failed battle of Salamis, Xerxes asked Artemisia for advice on how to respond- either retreat from the Balkans or raise a new army for a new invasion. Artemisia cautioned against another invasion and Xerxes retreated back to his empire. Following the end of the war, there are several rumors, myths, and stories about the post-war career of Artemisia. Some tell of her falling in love with a man who didn't love her back; others that she went in search of illegitimate sons of the Persian emperor to "take care of." Regardless, Artemisia's story helped inspire more women in ancient warfare and in military history today.
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