persian greek wars

Question 1

reasons for darius’ invasion

Answer 1

• expand empire for power, status, wealth (tribute, resources, army from subject lands)
• revenge agianst athens & eretria bc ionian revolt 499 BC helped ionian greeks rebel agaisnt persian overlords & attacking sardis (ionian greeks & athenians developed democracy dont want overlord)
• continue tradition of expansion

Question 2

persian attacks upon greece (3 waves)

Answer 2

1. 492 BC general mardonius’ expedition (less imp than 2nd & 3rd)

• H suggests D’ main aim to attack athens & eretria, persians intend to subjugate as many Greek towns possible
• Persian army marched through Thrace unopposed until reach Macedonia where attacked by local tribe
• after defeating them, macedonia submitted to mardonius
• thasos subdued w/o resistance
• expedition failed when persian fleet attempted around mt athos, wrecked by violent gale
• not total failure as persia had safe overland route across orther greece after

2. 490 BC Datis & artaphernes’ expedition

• H states D sought revenge agaisnt athens & eretria to destroy cities & enslave ppl but broader purpose to conquer all greek who refused to give resources
• firstly, persian envoys sent to greece to find out which states resist & which submit.
• many greek states eg. Aegina offered tokens of subimssion but according to H, Sparta threw their Persian envoy into pit & Athenians tipped theirs into well.
• 2ndly, expedition set out from Samos to cross Aegean Sea
• on wy to mainland greece, city Naxos & its temples were burnt.
• Persians then destroyed city Eretria & took inhabitants as slaves. next stop Marathon where battle Greeks won surprisingly

• H says D prepared for larger expedition but died 486 BC before
• Xerxes throne faced revolts in Egypt & Babylon –> delayed 6 yrs
• series battles fought betw Persians & Greeks but after failing to conquer, Persians returned

Question 3

battle of marathon

Answer 3

if persians had cavalry, definitely, won

• 490 BC at Bay of Marathon
• persian force up to 20 000 vs athenian army half the size (included some plataean troops who came to support athens, athens asked sparta for help but religious –> sparta couldnt come until after 6 days)
• despite outnumbered, athenians won due to clever strats of General Miltiades.
• before battle, ordered men to cut branches & brush to put along either side battlefield to narrow it, rendering persian cavalry useless
• persians began w/ onslaught of arrows raining on greeks
• under normal ancient battle, would be lethal but Miltiades ordered men to crouch down & hold metal shields above them –> deflect arrows
• ordered strongest soldiers to fight along flanks of battle formation & weakest soldiers fight in middle of forefront.
• battle began –> persians easily made inroads into greeks until soldiers on flanks defeated & encircled them
• when Persians realised, fled
• also won due to superior armour & weaponry

Question 4

motivecs for xerxes’ attack on greece

Answer 4

• carry father’s unfinished attack (darius)
• further expand empire (tradition of expansion)
• revenge for athens part in ionian revolt (darius punished eritria already), athens reneging on giving tokens of submission (evidence hostility betw persia & athens b4 ionian revolt. H says Athens asked Persia for help agaisnt sparta & persians asked athenian envoys sent to persia to give resources to make alliance, athenian envoys complied. athens later apprehensive when realised what gifts mean. logical bc Athenians technically submitted to persians & openly rejected persian leadership), persian loss at battle of marathon
• H says xerxes persuaded by mardonius to invade greece for revenege and bc valuable asset

Question 5

xerxes preparations before attacking greece

Answer 5

• H states xerxes spent 4 yrs preparing
• recruited large army, navy, ships, provisions of equip & storage, recruit from all over empire
• logistical preparations (engineering, construction –> canal through mt athos peninsula to avoid shipwreck took 2+ yrs build, roads & bridges constructed/improved along route & supply vehicles,)
• diplomatic preparations (X already est control most areas though army have to march, persian envoys went to greece in 481 BC demanding resources, many states of northern & central greece submitted to persians (hence X secured safe passage for troops)

Question 6

greek preparations

Answer 6

• after D’ invasion, some greeks feared Persians could attack again
• Athenians were preparing for war w/ persianns , under guidance of politician Themistocles to build fleet of triremes (galley ship) necessary for greeks to fight persians (Thermistocles convinced athenian gvt to spend more money on ships bc smome thought attack unlikely after marathon)
• athenians didnt have military power to fight land & sea, –> fighting persians required alliance of several greek city states
• sparta & athens leading role in congress but interests of all states determined defensive strat
• Hellenic alliance/league!! planned strat meeting persians in narrow areas where persians’ superiority in numbers could be minimised, chose locations that didn’t allow persians to use cavalry

Question 7

xerxes battles between persians & greeks (table

Question 8

reasons for greek victory

Answer 8

despite meticulous plans, superior numbers, submission of many greek states, persians failed to conquer Greece

superior greek (style) warfare

• hoplite, heavily armoured fought in phalanx formation, close-knit, uniform front overlapped shields, spears, assembled, phalanx formidable offensive & defensive weapon (but vulnerable of being outflanked by cavalry if on wrong terrain, avoid Persian cavalry)
• persian troops not trained in tactics to match close formations of greeks

superior greek armour & weaponry

• greek hoplites heavily armoured with a breastplate (cuirass), greaves (legs), a full helmet, large round shield
• armed w/ long spear, sig longer than Persian spears, sword
• hoplites’ heavy armour & long spears –> excellent troops in hand to hand combat, sig protection against ranged attacks by light troops & skirmishers.
• Persian soldiers only used light shields rather than Greeks’ bronze, little protection

superior greek strats/battle formations

• greek shrewd using narrow locations to fight, benefitted them as greatly outnumbered
• sites made diff for persians to use cavalry agaisnt them

greeks’ fierce determination & passion for defending homeland & families

• opposed to persian armys’ mercenaries, whose loyalty suspected

greeks’ knowledge of greece’s rugged terrain & coastal waters

• unfamiliar to most Persians, unsuitable for tactics used to,
• Persian admirals little experience in naval combat

Question 9

significance

Answer 9

greece

• monumental victory
• kept homeland free, retain sovereignty
• elation described in sources,

persia

• apart from loss of small amt territory along Aegean
• loss of face defeated by smaller land not uified
• however thrived for another 150 yrs

western civilisation

• persian invasion greece was event of major significance in EUR history
• believe if greece conquered, ancient greek culture at basis of western civilisation would’ve never developed (hence western civilisation itself)