4

Question 1

When did Xerxes rule from and to?

Answer 1

486-465 BC

Question 2

What gate did Xerxes commission?

Answer 2

The Gate of All Lands

Question 3

What is Xerxes known as having

Answer 3

Hubris

Question 4

Why did Xerxes become king and not his older brother

Answer 4

Xerxes was apparently chosen by Ahuramazda

Question 5

Why did the invasion of Greece happen?

Answer 5

Revenge on Athenians, reap the economic benefits, some greeks were urging an invasion of Persia

Question 6

What did Artabanus tell Xerxes about invading Greece

Answer 6

That he shouldnt accompany the army to save himself the embarrassment- however this is likely not true, as Herodotus probably wouldn’t know about the goings on in Persian courts

Question 7

How many soldiers does Herodotus say were part of the Invasion of Greece

Answer 7

2.6 million, drawn from 47 nations

Question 8

How large was the fleet of Persian invaders, according to Herodotus and Aeschylus

Answer 8

1207 ships

Question 9

What are the modern estimates of the soldiers and fleet numbers

Answer 9

60000-80000 men, 300-600 ships

Question 10

How long did Xerxes prepare for the campaign

Answer 10

4 years

Question 11

How did Xerxes prepare for the campaign

Answer 11

Supply depots through Thrace and Macedonia, Canal through the Athos peninsula, and two bridges built across the Hellespont, imitating the achievement of Darius bridging the Bosporus in 513 BC

Question 11

Where did the Persian force assemble and when

Answer 11

In Sardis, 481 BC

Question 12

When did the Persian forces begin their march?

Answer 12

Spring 480 BC

Question 13

What problem did Xerxes face when crossing the Hellespont?

Answer 13

The bridges he built had been destroyed in a storm, and so Xerxes had it whipped 300 times, branded, and have a pair of chains thrown into it

Question 14

Who were the Immortals

Answer 14

10,000 men who closely protected the king- called so because as soon as one died, there was another to take his place

Question 15

What were the greek heavily armoured soldiers called?

Answer 15

Hoplites

Question 16

What was a phalanx

Answer 16

Closely packed formation of soldiers

Question 17

what was a trireme

Answer 17

Battle ship used at that time, called so for having three banks of oars on each side

Question 18

Who was the greek general at Thermopylae

Answer 18

Leonidas

Question 19

Who told Xerxes of a path around the mountain at Thermopylae

Answer 19

Ephialtes

Question 20

How did Xerxes portray himself in the royal inscriptions?

Answer 20

Firmly as continuing his father’s legacy, promoting the fact that he had completed his father’s building projects. Following the wishes of Ahuramazda

Question 21

What was the greek word for ‘retribution’

Answer 21

Nemesis

Question 22

Who revolted at the start of Xerxes’ reign

Answer 22

Egypt and Babylon

Question 23

What was the Hellenic League

Answer 23

An alliance made up of 30 or so city states, with Sparta as leaders

Question 24

How many men fought on the Greek side?

Answer 24

7000, 300 spartans

Question 25

What happened to Leonidas

Answer 25

He was decaptitated by Xerxes, and his head was driven onto a stake

Question 26

When was the battle of Salamis

Answer 26

September 480 BC

Question 27

Why did the Battle of Salamis occur where it did?

Answer 27

The Persians wanted to sack the city of Athens to get revenge on the sacking of Sardis and the battle of Marathon, and did so, leading to a battle near Athens

Question 28

Who persuaded most of the Athenians to leave Athens?

Answer 28

Themistocles

Question 29

How many city states provided ships for the Greek navy in the Battle of Salamis?

Answer 29

21

Question 30

How many ships were there in total on the greek side in the battle of Salamis

Answer 30

380

Question 31

How many ships did Athens provide in the battle of Salamis

Answer 31

200

Question 32

Who spoke against fighting at Salamis on the Persian side?

Answer 32

Queen Artemisia, Queen of Halicarnassus

Question 33

When did the Battle of Eurymedon take place?

Answer 33

late 460s (470-465)

Question 34

When did Xerxes die?

Answer 34

465 BC

Question 35

Why were there no more offensives into Greece after Xerxes death?

Answer 35

His son, Artaxerxes, seemed to have accepted the Aegean as the Western limits of the Empire

Question 36

Who told Xerxes about the path going over the mountains which could lead his troops to the other side of the pass?

Answer 36

Ephialtes

Question 37

How did the Battle of Salamis play out?

Answer 37

The Persians moved onto the straights in the morning of September 20, not understanding the currents, had many of their ships turned to one side, which allowed the greek triremes to ram them. Fighting in a narrow straight gave the Greeks an advantage; the Persians superior numbers worked against them as they all crowded into one another. The Greeks won a decisive victory