Sitting at Evia’s northernmost point, the treacherous waters surrounding this famous cape have meant disaster for sailors throughout antiquity until recent years.
Without a doubt, the most famous of these was the naval battle in which the Athenians held off Persian fleet during their second invasion under the leadership of Xerxes I.
The conflict took place following the battle of Thermopylae and the Athenian victory at Marathon. After days of smaller confrontations, the main fight raged with both sides losing a significant amount of ships. Though the Athenians were able to defend the waters and successfully attack the Persians, Themistocles ordered the fleet to depart for the straights of Salamis where the final blow was dealt to the Persians before their retreat.
