Laurion silver strike funds the Athenian fleet
- Date
- 483 BC
- Category
- Economy & trade
- Region
- Attica, Greece
- Era
- Classical Antiquity
- Significance
Around 483 BC a rich new vein of silver was discovered in the state-owned mines of Laurion (Laurium) in southern Attica, particularly in the district of Maroneia, yielding an exceptional surplus to the Athenian treasury (a hundred talents, about 2.6 tonnes of silver, were on hand by the time of the Persian invasion).
In the Athenian Assembly a debate erupted over the windfall: Aristides led those who wished to distribute the silver directly among the citizens as a per-capita dividend, while Themistocles argued it should fund a great fleet of warships. To win support, Themistocles emphasised the ongoing naval war with neighbouring Aegina rather than the more distant Persian menace, and the Assembly voted through his naval programme to build a fleet of triremes (sources cite up to 200 ships). When Xerxes invaded Greece in 480 BC, this newly built navy formed the core of the Greek force that defeated the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis, a turning point that secured Greek independence and launched Athens as the dominant maritime power of the Aegean.
One piece of history in your inbox, weekly
New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Empires active in 483 BC
- Achaemenid Empire550 BCE – 330 BCE
- Roman Republic509 BCE – 27 BCE
- Scythians800 BCE – 300 BCE
- Carthaginian Empire650 BCE – 146 BCE
- Kingdom of Kush1070 BCE – 350 CE
- Zhou Dynasty1046 BCE – 256 BCE
Related economy & trade events
- Invention of Standardised Coinage in Lydia (the Lydian Stater)c. 630 BCE
- Athenian owl tetradrachm becomes the dominant ancient trade currencyc. 449 BCE
- Sangam-Age Tamil Kingdoms and the Muziris Pepper Tradec. 100 BCE – 200 CE
- Salt and Iron Debate at the Han Court81 BCE
- Monsoon-wind navigation opens direct Indo-Roman Indian Ocean tradec. 30 BCE (1st century BCE)
- Monsoon-Driven Indo-Roman Sea Trade Boom (Periplus Era)c. 50 CE (Periplus era, monsoon route established c. 45-47 CE)
Further reading
The wider story
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World
Best-selling world history told through the trade routes that moved goods, faiths and ideas.
Get it on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.