Darius' Expeditions

Question 1

Where did Mardonius’ expedition in 492 invade?

Answer 1

North of Greece (Thrace, Mt. Athos)

Question 2

How did Mardonius’ troops cross into Greece?

Answer 2

Through the hellespont

Question 3

Why did Mardonius withdraw from his expedition?

Answer 3

He was attacked by the Brygi tribe (Thracians) after being shipwrecked on Mt. Athos - the combined losses of his troops and himself being wounded caused his retreat

Question 4

What were the successes of Mardonius’ expedition?

Answer 4

Conquered lands of Macedon and Thrace

Question 5

Why did Darius order the expeditions into Greece?

Answer 5

To destroy and enslave Athens + Eretria for their assistance in the Ionian Revolt

Question 6

What was the purpose of Darius asking for ‘earth and water’ from the Greek states in 491?

Answer 6

To test how much resistance an expedition into Mainland Greece would be depending on how many states surrendered
And to have an excuse to invade the states who refused to surrender

Question 7

Which major city state does give Darius ‘earth and water’? And who did it anger?

Answer 7

Aegina
It angers Athens (starts Athens-Sparta alliance)

Question 8

When was the Datis expedition? And what were his goals?

Answer 8

490
Reduce Athens + Eretria to slavery

Question 9

How many triremes does Herodotus claim Datis’ expedition have?

Answer 9

600 triremes

Question 10

Where does Datis’ expedition sail through? Why did it differentiate from Mardonius’ path?

Answer 10

From Samos across the Icarian sea through the Cyclades (specifically Naxos)
To avoid the same failings that occurred in Thrace and Mt. Athos under Mardonius

Question 11

What did Datis’ troops do to Naxos once arrival?

Answer 11

Naxos offered no resistance, allowing the Persians to enslave the city and burn their temples

Question 12

Which city did the Persians intentionally spare? And why?

Answer 12

Delos
Due to sacred ground as it was the birthplace of Apollo + Artemis

Question 13

What happened in Delos according to Herodotus? Who contradicts this?

Answer 13

An earthquake hit Delos according to oracles and Herodotus
Thucydides disagrees with this, and states this earthquake happened later down the line (before the Peloponnesian War)

Question 14

What happened with Carystus during the Datis expedition?

Answer 14

They refuse to medise and give troops to the Persians
Under siege by the Persians until they gave in to Persian command

Question 15

Who did Eretria ask for help during the Datis expedition? Does it work out?

Answer 15

They ask for Athenian help and once they arrive - told by Aeschines to just go home and focus on themselves (warned of the inevitability of Eretria falling)

Question 16

What happened to Eretria during the Datis expedition?

Answer 16

Fought the Persians for 6 days (many losses on both sides)
Betrayed by two well-known Eretrians (7th day)
Persians successfully invade, strip all the temples, burnt the town and enslaved the inhabitants

Question 17

Where did the Persians decide to land their troops after besieging Eretria? And who directed them?

Answer 17

Ex-tyrant of Athens. Hippias, directs the Persians to land at Marathon

Question 18

What was Militades’ background leading up to Marathon? What was his advantage against the Persians?

Answer 18

Former tyrant of the Chersonese
One of the ten strategoi/generals in Athens
Insider information on Persian tactics

Question 19

Who was Pheidippides?

Answer 19

Athenian Herald who ran from Marathon to Athens to inform them of the victory at the Battle of Marathon
Also ran to Sparta from Athens in 2 days to request help for Persian Invasion (Sparta arrive late)
Inspired the modern Olympic ‘marathon’

Question 20

Who did Pheidippides encounter during his run from Sparta back to Athens

Answer 20

The God, Pan, who inquired why the Athenians had paid him no attention
The Athenians responded by building Pan a shrine
This is an example of Herodotus’ unreliability and indulging in the supernatural

Question 21

How did the Spartans respond to Pheidippides’ plea for help during the build-up to Marathon?

Answer 21

Refusal to break their laws - could not make the battle until the full moon

Question 22

What does Herodotus claim Hippias dreamt of? What does this tell us about Herodotus’ story-telling?

Answer 22

Hippias dreamt of sleeping with his mother, and he interprets this as him returning back to being Tyrant of Athens and die peacefully of old age
This is another example of Herodotus’ using the supernatural to make the story more interesting (unreliable)

Question 23

When the Persians land at Marathon, what happens to Hippias and what does this foreshadow?

Answer 23

Hippias’ teeth fall out into the sand, and he loses it - this is taken as a sign that the Persians will lose at Marathon (Herodotus’ unreliability shining through once again)

Question 24

Which city state was aligned with Athens? And why?

Answer 24

Platea
They had conflict with Thebes - Sparta advised them to align with Athens due to shared hatred of Thebes (Sparta did this to cause ‘quarrels’ - This is Herodotus’ reasoning and is reliable)

Question 25

What was the debate in Athens about leading up to Marathon? Which general’s opinion was prevalent?

Answer 25

Athens was conflicted on whether to fight the Persians at Marathon
Miltiades (an Athenian General) proposes to stay and fight at Marathon - turns Callimachus to his side

Question 26

Who was Callimachus?

Answer 26

Athenian War Archon/Polemarch at Marathon
Slain at Marathon

Question 27

During the build-up to Marathon, why did Athens wait to attack the Persians? (3 theories)

Answer 27

(1) Waiting to see what the Persians were doing with their cavalry
(2) Supposedly waiting for the Spartans to arrive
(3) Political move - ensuring there were no internal medisers in the army

Question 28

How do Athens prepare for the Battle of Marathon (tactics wise)

Answer 28

They have the wings of the army being particularly strong
The army’s centre was only a few ranks deep (with the intent of being able to encircle the Persian troops)

Question 29

At the start of the Battle of Marathon. what tactic did the Athenians use? (under the command of Miltiades)
How far does Herodotus claim they ran?

Answer 29

The Athenians advanced at a run towards the Persians to avoid the arrows firing (200 yards)
Herodotus claims they ran a mile (example of unreliability)

Question 30

How does the Battle of Marathon play out in terms of military tactic?

Answer 30

The Persians break the centre of the Greek line - yet both Athenian wings were victorious
Wings merge into one and attack the remaining Persians who broke into centre - success

Question 31

What were the consequences of the Battle of Marathon?

Answer 31

Herodotus claims 6400 Persians were killed and 192 Athenians were killed (Herodotus’ unreliable with Persians yet reliable with Athenian count)
Athenians claim 7 ships from Persians
Last attempt of Datis’ expedition
Resounding Athenian victory

Question 32

Why do Athenians win at Marathon?

Answer 32

Herodotus claims:
- That the Persians lost due to stealing a statue of Apollo at Delos
- Athenian military tactics (Miltiades)

Not mentioned by Herodotus:
- Marathon’s terrain being unsuitable for Persian cavalry
- Greek phalanx, superior armour, better organisation, difference in spears (short - Persians, long - Greeks)

Question 33

What is another source for Marathon?

Answer 33

2nd century AD geographer Pausanius wrote a description about the Battle of Marathon

Question 34

What happened to the Eretrians after the Persians returned?

Answer 34

Taken to Susa - treated fairly by Darius as he lost his anger towards him

Question 35

When did the Spartans arrive after Marathon?

Answer 35

A day after the battle

Question 36

Where did a portion of the Persian fleet go? And what supposedly happened and why?

Answer 36

They attempted to reach Athens before news of their loss
Wealthy families in Athens had attempted to wave a shield to lure the Persians in (Herodotus highlighting disunity within Greece)