The Persians as barbarians Flashcards
Have a monarchy/tyrant
Ruled by one king which Greeks viewed as Barbaric
(although Sparta has kings, they have two so still have an element of democracy)
Xerxes is surrounded by men who fear him and agree with everything he says rather than by people who engage in healthy debate
“they sat according to honour”
Xerxes lists line of dynasty
“dress in my clothes” - king has special clothes and status
Different religious customs
they sacrifice to the elements and worship them
“when preparing a sacrifice they do not use altars nor do they make fires”
“reverence for rivers” - makes Xerxes punishment of the water so shocking
“unlike the Greeks they do not think the gods have human form”
“they do not set up and use statues or temples or altars”
Customs
“they consider themselves to be the best” - Greeks = humble
“he falls to the ground and kisses the ground” - status differences between Persians = foreign to Greeks who believe themselves to all be equal
“they let their corpses be torn by a dog or a bird before burial” - Greeks believe in respecting the bodies of the dead
Role of women
Artemisia is a woman warrior which is frightening to the Greeks who did not give status to woman in this way and believed that they should stay at home
->unusual for Greeks
Not religious
destroy Greek temple and plunder it
->no respect for the religions of other people
X lashes water which he should respect (unreasonable)
->Greeks would never do this to the gods
Unintelligent
have a large army but don’t know how to use it
Xerxes does not approve of Greek democracy (stupid in the eyes of the Greeks)
beheading of people = unreasonable and not best strategic decisions
not sneaky like the Greeks and show off army
loose battle due to lack of good tactical decisions
do not take into account the fact that Themistocles was deceiving them and believe him right away
Socially
Different language (seen as Herodotus tells us about how he knows the Persian word for something) ->unusual as they don't speak Greek and therefore sound exotic
Xerxes has special king clothes - look exotic (prescribed sources)
