Persian Wars Flashcards
3 phases of Persian Revolt
1) Ionian Revolt
- Athens sends ships, burning of Sardis
2) Darius Invasion
- Persians defeated at Marathon
3) Xerxes Invasion
- Eventually defeated at Salamis and Plataea
Herodotus - aims, positives and cons
AIMS & POS
- Used oral, literary, epigraphic and archeological evidence, relies on oral sources primarily
- CONTEMPORARY
CONS
- Largely pro-Athenian, anti-Corinth and Thebes, writing in Athens at the time.
Ionian revolt - why did it happen?
- Loss of independence
- Heavy tribute to ‘barbarian’ king
- City ruled by ‘tyrants’
- ‘Tyrants’ under control of Persian Satrap
Ionian Revolt - How it started and ended
2 quote
- Aristogras takes charge of Miletus after previous leader is called to Darius at Susa/
- Aristogas approached by group of exiles from Naxos to retake their home
- Aristogas approaches Satrap and Darius with plan to invade Naxos.
- INVASION FAILED ; FLED TO GREECE TO GAIN SUPPORT FOR A REBELLION.
- Sparta said NO, Athens said YES
- Athenians and Ereditreans sack Sardis, burning Persian ships;.
“The ships were the beginning of great evils for the Greeks” - Herodotus
“Remember the Athenians”
Expedition of Mardonius - 492
- Mission into Greece to gain revenge against Athenians for actions at Sardis.
- Messages sent to city-states to mediate
- Thrace and Macedonia mediate
- Attacked by tribes and RETREATS.
Battle of Marathon 490
1 quote
PERSIANS; 25,000
GREEKS; 10,000
- Key aim to punish Athens and Eritrea, Eritrea was sacked.
- Athens asked Sparta for help but didn’t arrive till after battle.
- Ahena submits
- Hippias (ex tyrant of Athens) helps Persians.
- Milatiades leads Athenian force with Callimachus and Thermistocles.
- Persian force led by Darius, Artephenes and Hippias.
- Greek formation based off phalanx formation, weak centre of Athenians and Plateans so they surrounded Persians, Greeks had hoplites.
- Persians not suspecting hoplite charge
“Athenians and Plateans run at suicidal madness.”
Why did Athenians win at Marathon?
- Eritrea destroyed
- “Athenians and Plateans ran at suicidal madness.”
- “Plateans came to help in full force.
- Phalanx formation.
Darius Tomb
(After Battle of Marathon)
Talks about punishing those who do harm, presents Darius as the ideal Persian Warrior, he’s been divinely appointed by Ahura Mazda and wants to protect the weak from the strong.
Darius presentation of Persia VS Herodotus
Darius
- Persian empire unified
- Protects weak from strong
- Always makes right decisions
- Calm headed
Herodotus
- Ionians rebelled
- Invades Greece
- Lost at Marathon
- Revenge on Athens
What did Xerxes want to do once he gained power after Darius dies?
2 quotes
- bridge the Hellespont and punish the Athenians
- will not rest until “I have taken Athens and burnt it to the ground”
- “if we crush the Athenians and their neighbours, we shall pass through Europe”
What did Artabanus want Xerxes to do instead?
- if Hellespont bridge is destroyed the campaign and Xerxes at risk
- Greeks are good fighters, hoplites at Marathon
- says haste is the mother of failure
Greek Preparation
The Hellenic League;
AIMS:
- end all conflict between allied Greek states; Athens and Aegina
- send out spies to discover nature of Persian activity
- try and recruit more POLEIS to the cause
31 / 700 city states united against Persians
Pledge not to secede
Oath to resist Persians and punish those who did not
Spartans provide military leadership.
Serpent Column
Inscription quote
Statue made after Plataea
Names 31 Greek city states that fought in Plataea with Spartans at top followed by Athens.
“This is the gift the saviours of far-fung Hellas upraised here,
Having delivered their states from loathsome slavery’s bonds,”
Isthmus Conference
1 quote
- Overall command given to Sparta
“The Athenians waived their claim in the interest of survival” - Thermistocles thought Athenians would be defeated on open ground, mountain passes and narrow waterways better.
- Peloponnesus wanted to defend Isthmus
Xerxes Invasion 480
1 quote
- Leonidas general in charge of Spartans, chosen leader of combined Greek forces;
300 Spartans
900 Helots
3-5000 Greeks - Peloponease want to retreat to Isthmus, Leonidas decided to stay and wait for reinforcements.
- Persian arrows are so numerous they would block the sun, Spartan solider replies;
“Then we will fight in the shade!” - Dienekes.
A03
Herodotus says Thebans kept as hostages by Leonidas, unlikely bc anti Theban.
