Key Individuals (Greco-Persian Wars) Flashcards
Who was Aristogoras?
Tyrant of Miletus
Kickstarted the Ionian Revolt in 499 BCE
Who was Artaphernes?
Satrap of Sardis
Brother to Darius the First
Who was Darius the First?
The Persian King from 522 BCE to 486 BCE
Ordered the expeditions of 492/490
Particularly vengeful towards Athens and Eretria due to their involvement in Ionian Revolt
Who was Mardonius?
Persian General in charge of the 492 BCE expedition to invade Greece (relived of duty afterwards)
Darius’ son-in-law
Biggest advocate for invading Greece during Persian court
Was also in charge of the Persian army in the Battle of Platea in 479 BCE and was killed
Who was Datis?
Persian General in charge of the 490 BCE expedition to invade Greece
Who was Militades?
Athenian General who had insider knowledge on the tactics of the Persians
Tactics consisted of running under the Persian arrows
Who was Hippias?
Former tyrant of Athens
From the Peisistratids family
Assisted in the Persian Invasion of 490 BCE
Who was Pheidippides?
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
Inspired the modern Olympic ‘marathon’
Who was Callimachus?
Athenian Polemarch
Made the decision to stay at Marathon
Slain in the Battle of Marathon
Who was Epizelus?
Athenian hoplite at Marathon
Suffered hysterical blindness during the battle
Credited by Herodotus as a source
Who was Leonidas?
Spartan King
Supposed ancestry of Heracles
Fought at Thermopylae in 480
Slain at Thermopylae
Who was Xerxes?
Persian King from 486 to 465 BCE
Achieved victories at Thermopylae and Artemisium
Fled with his army after Salamis
Who was Megistias?
A Seer who warned the Spartans of inevitable defeat at Thermopylae
Portrayed as noble as he did not flee and stayed with the Spartans to die
Who was Hydarnes?
Persian General in charge of the ‘Immortals’ force within the Persian Army at Thermopylae
Tasked with getting the Persian Army back across the Hellespont after they fled from Salamis
Who was Dieneces?
Leconic Spartan Warrior
Herodotus’ ‘man of the match’ in Thermopylae
‘We’ll fight them in the shade!’ Quote comes from him
Who was Eurytus?
Sent to recuperate at Alpeni alongside Aristodemus due to an inflammation in the eyes
Quarreled with Aristodemus about returning to Thermopylae - he was for
His helot led him back into battle and he was valiantly slain while blind
Who was Aristodemus?
Sent to recuperate at Alpeni alongside Eurytus due to an inflammation in the eyes
Quarreled over returning to Thermopylae - he was against
Labelled as a ‘trembler’ upon returning to Sparta
Runs into battle and slain at Platea
Who was Demaratus?
Deposed king of Sparta
Fled to Persia and one of Xerxes’ most respected advisors
Also sent the wax tablet solved by Gorgo to Sparta as a warning or mockery
Who was Thermistocles?
Athenian General
Convinced the Athenians to use the Laurium silver to build a navy
Interpreted the Delphic Oracle as an Athenian victory at Salamis
Convinced Eurybiades to stay at Salamis and fight in 480 BCE
Who was Eurybiades?
Spartan General in charge of Greek Navy
Who was Mnesiphilus?
Athenian who had approached Thermistocles and told him to stay + fight at Salamis because of the terrain
Herodotus emphasises how Thermistocles passes this idea off as his own - possible bias against Thermistocles
Who was Artemisia?
Queen of Hallicarnassus
Fought alongside Xerxes’ forces in Salamis
Warned Xerxes’ against rushing into battle and to wait for Greek surrender - ignored
Who was Adeimantus?
Corinthian general
Argued that the Greek forces should retreat to the Isthmus
Attempted to flee at Salamis (possibly feigned retreat)
Who was Leotychides?
Spartan King during the Battle of Mycale (479 BCE)
Sent a shouter to tell the Ionians on the Persian side to betray them
