Although heavily outnumbered, the Greek Allies were persuaded by the Athenian general Themistocles to bring the Persian fleet to battle again, in the hope that a victory would prevent naval operations against the Peloponnese.
Selv om de var stærkt i undertal blev de græske allierede overtalt af den atheniensiske general Themistokles til igen at angribe den persiske flåde, i håb om at en sejr kunne forhindre flådeoperationer mod Peloponnes.