# Artemisia — Histories character guide

> Artemisia in Histories by Herodotus.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0008-book-vii-polymnia

## Who they are

Queen of Halicarnassus who sails with Xerxes' fleet, gives him blunt counsel the Persian courtiers will not, and fights her own ships with a cunning that unsettles her Greek enemies.

## In the story

### [Book VIII: Urania](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/chapters/book-viii-urania)

Artemisia cunningly rams a Calyndian ship to escape an Athenian pursuer, gaining Xerxes' admiration. Later, she advises Xerxes to retreat and leave Mardonios to subdue Greece.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters/artemisia
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/histories_se/characters