Greek Preparations: 480 BC

Question 1

What was the meaning of the Spartan prophecy and how did it affect their strategy towards the Persians?

Answer 1

• Either one of the Spartan kings would die or Sparta would be destroyed
• This led Leonidas to lead 300 of his best men into battle at Thermopylae

Question 2

What was the meaning of the Athenian prophecy and how did it affect their strategy towards the Persians?

Answer 2

• They would be safe within their ‘wooden walls’ - which they interpreted to mean ships
• They should evacuate Athens
• They built their fleet and became a Maritime power

Question 3

What terms were agreed upon by the Hellenic League? (5 - the last one a quote from Herodotus)

Answer 3

• All quarrelling amongst the Greeks must end for the defense of Hellas
• To send embassies to neutral states to convince them to join the cause
• To send spies to Asia
• For the Spartans to take control of both land and naval forces (the Athenians waived their claim)
• “Once the war was fought to a successful conclusion, they would punish all men of Greek blood who sided with Persia and dedicate one tenth of their property to the god at Delphi” - Herodotus

Question 4

Why did the Athenians agree to Spartan leadership over the Greeks?

Answer 4

• They were more concerned about the safety of Hellas, If they argued over leadership there would have been a higher chance of defeat

Question 5

Why were no demands for fire and water sent to Athens and Sparta? What message were Sparta and Athens trying to send?

Answer 5

• The Athenians had thrown Darius’ messengers into a pit and the Spartans pushed them into a well and told them to get it (fire and water) themselves
• They were sending the message that they were not going to submit to Persia

Question 6

What different reasons are given for Argos refusing to support the Greek cause? What does Herodotus suggest?

Answer 6

• They claimed shared ancestry with Persia, since Perseus was from Argos and he supposedly founded Persia
• Herodotus suggests that the underlying cause was that they were under no threat, so they felt no need to stand up to the Persians - also they didn’t like the Spartans

Question 7

Why did the Thessalians submit to the Persians?

Answer 7

• At first they were on the side of the Greeks, until the Greek forces retreated from Thessaly, abandoning the people - so Thessaly submitted to the Persians

Question 8

Why did the Aeginitans supposedly Medize? How were they dealt with?

Answer 8

• They were supposedly ‘anti - Athens’ and so supposedly Medized out of spite
• The Spartans, under Cleomenes, had tried to arrest the Medizing leaders