Persian Kings - Xerxes Flashcards
1
Q
Succession
A
- Xerxes was not Darius’ oldest son
- Inscription of Xerxes, he had 3 full brothers, Darius chose him because of will of Ahuramazda.
2
Q
Revolt in Egypt
A
- Xerxes sent army against the rebels and crushed them.
- Reduced the Egyptians to worse slavery than before.
- handed over rule of Egypt to his brother Achaemenes.
3
Q
Revolt in Babylon
A
- two successive revolts, two men claiming the title ‘King of Babylon, King of Lands.’ One lasted two weeks and the other longer.
- Persians suppressed them quickly.
4
Q
Reasons for Invasion of Greece
A
- Xerxes not initially interested but persuaded by Mardonius.
- Xerxes didn’t want to fall short of Cyrus, Cambyses and Darius and wanted to add as much power as they did.
5
Q
Persian Preparation for Greece (manpower)
A
- 4 years gathering men from 47 nations.
- 1207 ships
- 700,100 foot soldiers
- 80,000 cavalrymen
- 20,000 camel riders and charioteers.
In total 2,317,610 men from Asia.
6
Q
Persian Preparation for Greece (armour)
A
- soft felt caps
- tunics
- breastplates
- trousers
- swords, spears, bows,
- Infantry: largest unit was 10,000 strong, had immortals (if someone died they would be replaced immediately.) Men in front created a shield wall and men in rows behind fire arrows which could reach a distance of 170m.
- Navy, made of Phoenicians, Egyptians and Ionian Greeks.
- Supply depots in Thrace and Macedonia.
- There was a canal cut through the Athos peninsula to avoid sailing in waters where fleet was wrecked before.
7
Q
Greek Preparation for Persia
A
- Asked Greek cities for help.
- Many Greek cities medized.
- Women, children and elderly took refuge in two allied cities.
- Men of fighting age sailed to nearby island of Salamis.
8
Q
Xerxes’ March
A
- Xerxes sent heralds demanding earth and water to all Greek states except Athens and Sparta. (Surrender)
- Travelled through Thrace, Macedonia and Thessaly.
- Before crossing into Europe, Artabanus warned Xerxes of the dangers of the mission with the lack of resources and not many places to port ships.
- After the first bridge was destroyed by the storm all men building it were beheaded. Xerxes ordered for the Hellespoint to be whipped 300 times and have chains thrown into it.
9
Q
Thermopylae
A
- Hellenic League sent advance party to pass at Thermopylae to try block the Persian advance. 7000 men were sent, most from areas around Theormopylae whose homes were being threatened. 300 Spartans were also sent.
- Greeks reached before Persians did and built a wall at narrowest point.
- Xerxes didn’t know what to do, asked Demaratus who was the ex king of Sparta who said the Spartans wouldn’t give up.
- Stand off for 4 days waiting for Greeks to retreat.
- X lost patience and sent in troops.
10
Q
Day 1 of Thermopylae
A
After 4 days of Persians waiting for Greeks to retreat, the battle began. Persians suffer heavy losses. They send in the king’s immortals
11
Q
Day 2 of Thermopylae
A
- Same happened.
- Ephialtes, a local Greek told King Xerxes about a hidden pass which allowed a force of Persians to march around the Greeks at night and trap them.
12
Q
Day 3 of Thermopylae
A
Leonidas discovered they would be surrounded and sent away most of the greek troops. The ones who remained knew they would die including thebans, Spartans and Thespians.
- Final defeat, Spartans fought with bravery. Persians found Leonidas dead body took the head and put it on a stake.
13
Q
Artemision (Stalemate)
A
- Persian fleet anchored at Cape Sepias.
- 3 day storm wrecked 400 triremes which weren’t able to get clear of the water.
- Persian fleet went to sea again but got confused and sailed towards Greek ships at Artemisium and were captured.
- Remainder of ships (200) sailed around Euboea and trap the Greek fleet.
14
Q
Day 1 Artemision
A
- Greek fleet sailed out and Persians met them, Greeks formed a defensive circle and managed to capture 30 ships.
15
Q
Day 2 Artemision
A
- Greek fleet reinforced by 53 triremes from Athens, more Persian ships wrecked.
16
Q
Day 3 Artemision
A
- Persians put out to sea and were met by the Greeks. Heavy losses on both sides. Stalemate.
- Greeks retreated when they heard Thermopylae had been taken.
17
Q
Outcome
A
- Persian army + navy headed south.
- Persians sacked Athens, burnt city to the ground, temples destroyed.
18
Q
Salamis
A
- Greeks working together and in precise order
- Greeks fighting for Greece: country, sons, wives, ancestors, temples
- narrow straights meant Persian ships were jammed and rammed each other
- Greeks manoeuvred around the Persians and rammed them.
- Xerxes abandoned the expedition and returned to Asia. Mardonius left in charge of a 300,000 Persian army which wintered in northern Greece.
19
Q
Plataea
A
- Mardonius moved south, Athenians evacuated Athens.
- Greeks assembled at Plataea under Spartan general Pausanias.
- Greeks: 38,700 hoplites; 69,500 lightly armed men
- Mardonius: 300,000 Asian troops; 50,000 Greek medizers
- Persians advanced when Greeks retreated. Mardonius killed and rest of Persian army fled in disorder.
20
Q
Mycale
A
- allied fleet under the command of the Spartan King sailed to Samos where the Persian fleet was based.
- The Persian commander beached his ships and returned to camp.
- The Greeks attacked the camp, routing the enemy and capturing the fleet.
21
Q
Outcome of the Ionian Revolt
A
- Successful
- Aims of punishing the Persians and freeing the Greeks.
22
Q
Eurymedon
A
- Eurymedon was fought on land and sea.
- Athenians and their allies vs Persians.
- Greeks won under command of Cimon.
- Greeks captured the entire Phoenician fleet of 200 triremes.
- Defeat humbled Xerxes, created peace with Greeks.
23
Q
building projects
A
- Completed Apadanna at Persepolis.
- Began building a new gate at Persepolis, two large doors in east + west and hall between them. West had massive bulls. East had two bulls with head of man. Columns were 16.5m high.
- Palace of Xerxes, twice as large at Darius’ palace. Main room had 36 columns and surrounded by six smaller rooms. Similar decoration to that of Darius’ palace.
24
Q
Religious policy
A
- divinely appointed by Ahuramazda and supported by him.
- Daiva inscription: suppression of religious rebellion somewhere else in the empire, place where demons worshipped. Xerxes destroyed sanctuary of demons with help of Ahuramazda.
25
Q
death
A
- assassinated by commander of the royal bodyguard.
- X’s son, Artaxerxes took the throne.
