Time-span 1 - Challenges of the Persian Empire

Question 1

Herodotus

Answer 1

Born in 480’s, in a Greek city that was under Persian control.
The Histories - written in Athens.
Used mostly oral sources- which would have changed over time, each with their own bias.
Often reported conflict stories.

Question 2

Herodotus on Persian Culture

Answer 2

Includes details on their religion, traditions, and forms of greeting.

Question 3

Engagements Between the Greeks and Persians

Answer 3

Greek cities in Asia Minor had been under Persian control since 546 BC.
Darius had acceded in 522 BC, and added many Aegean islands to the empire.
499 - Persia failed to invade Naxos.

Question 4

Artaphernes

Answer 4

Persian satrap, sent representatives to Ionian states, he forced to bind them with an oath that they would seek arbitration , and also set up a tax.

Question 5

Mardonius

Answer 5

Commander of the Persian task force.
Introduced a reform to suppress all tyrants in the Ionian states. And to introduce democratic institutions in the place of tyrants.

Question 6

How did the reforms reflect Persia?

Answer 6

The introduction of the taxes and the democratic system reflected Persia well, as it shows that they were trying to bring about organisation.

Question 7

Mardonius’ Campaign - 492

Answer 7

Conquered Thrace again and forced Macedon to become a Persian subordinate to them.
Herodotus = main objective was attacking Eretria and Athens for sending ships to assist in the Ionian revolt.
But didn’t capture Eretria, only got Thasos, which was wealthy anyway.
Not portrayed as a great commander, bit violent.

Question 8

Persian Army

Answer 8

Lots of different types of ethnic groups fighting for the Persians, all with different armour, and all speaking different languages.
10,000 immortals serving the royal household, had gold pomegranates. The best.
And had forts at permanent bridges, so could easily move around the empire.

Question 9

Earth and Water

Answer 9

419 BC, Darius sent heralds around Greece to demand earth and water for the King.
Was received from most, including Aegina, but not from Athens and Sparta - who had both executed the heralds, which was seen as the biggest act of defiance.
Those who medised were looked down on.
Athens were fearful that Persian backed tyrant Hippias would return and Sparta didn’t want their status to be challenged.

Question 10

Naqs-e Rustum

Answer 10

Only Persian sided source.
Royal inscription, where Persian Kings set out their ideologies.
Don’t brag about any military campaigns etc. and only mention of Greeks is them as their subject.
Darius, presented on a throne, carried by people, each representing the lands of the empire.
Royal perspective, Darius seems himself as a bringer of peace and mentions the ideal characteristics of the ideal commander.

Question 11

Persian Targets

Answer 11

Mardonius was replaced by Datis and Artaphrenes.
Naxos = sacked first.
Delos = respected, as it was important to Greeks.
Eretria = betrayed by 2 citizens.
Temples were burnt at both, as revenge for burning Sardis.
Herodotus says Darius was driven by revenge and imperial expansion. Cross reference with Naqs-e Rustum.

Question 12

Battle Of Marathon 490 BC

Answer 12

Athenians were aided by Plataea. Plataeans were enemies of Thebes. Cleomenes had urged them to ally with Athens, to bring conflict upon Athens and Boeotia.
Hippias advised to invade Attica at Marathon.
Great victory for the outnumbered Greeks.
After the battle, Persians had sailed around the tip of Attica to attack Athens from the west, but they withdrew as Athenians had already returned.
Sparta arrived afterwards (as had holy festival during battle) inspected the battlefield. (no credit to them).

Question 13

After Marathon

Answer 13

Darius’ response was revenge, in the form of preparing a much larger invasion. But was delayed in 486 by a rebellion in Egypt, and then Darius died.
Son, Xerxes, succeeded.

Question 14

Herodotus - Militiades’ Speech

Answer 14

Powerful, rallying speech. People should fight to not become subject to Persia. May not be reliable as Herodotus used stories passed down through generations, may be exaggerated to sound more heroic.

Question 15

View on the Persian Court (Herodotus)

Answer 15

Herodotus had no sources to recall.
Hippias and Demaratus were courtiers.
Mardonius persuaded Xerxes to get revenge against Athens, in the hope he would be governor, again, Mardonius not portrayed well, selfish.

Question 16

Arguments for and against invading Greek states.

Answer 16

Xerxes wanted to win the same glory as his family.
Mardonius urged him to invade Greece.
Artabanus (uncle) advised him to not attack, and to stay home. But Xerxes accused him of cowardice.

Question 17

Persian Preparations

Answer 17

Artabanus warns Xerxes about the lack of the suitable harbour with poor supply lines and lack of resources. Resulted in the building of a canal through Mount Athos, allowing better supply lines.

Question 18

Sources About Xerxes.

Answer 18

Presents himself as a risk taker.
But presented as arrogant, impetuous and immature.
In royal inscriptions, he portrays himself in the same light as his father etc.

Question 19

The Gate of All Lands

Answer 19

Extension to the royal palace built by Darius.
Xerxes takes credit.
In an inscription he stresses the importance of Gods and victories. And compares himself with his father.

Question 20

Greek Preparations for the Invasion, and the Hellenic League.

Answer 20

Herodotus: mentions the introduction of the Hellenic League = set up to end all conflict between Greek states, spy on Persians and recruit more Greek states.
THUCYDIDES = says it was set up as a collective defence from opposition.

Question 21

Themistocles

Answer 21

Led Athenians as archon.
Had no autocratic power.
Was cunning and intelligent.
Took advantage of the silver found in the hills by Athens, built 200 ships for the navy, as resistance to Xerxes. (ships would eventually help defeat Sparta)

Question 22

Oracle Reading at Delphi

Answer 22

Athenians sent envoys to Delphi.
Oracle said to leave the city and save themselves because Athens would be destroyed.
Second reading said a wooden wall would save citizens of Athens. Themistocles suggested this meant the wooden walls of the ships, and the oracle was telling them to face Persians at sea.

Question 23

480 BC - Year of Crisis

Answer 23

Xerxes, heading south towards Thermopylae.
Within the Hellenic League - Locrians and Phocians didn’t want to abandon their cities.
Thessalians were medising.
Xerxes’s fleet, waiting for him to go to Artemisium.
Greeks were moving north towards isthmus of Corinth to save their homelands and freedom.

Question 24

Spartan Resistance

Answer 24

Spartan Eurybiades led part of the naval resistance. Was Themistocles’ idea, to row north towards the Artemision channel.
480 BC - King Leonidas led Spartans to guard the hot gates at Thermopylae.
Leonidas’ soldiers marched through the plains of Boeotia.

Question 25

Strategies at Thermopylae

Answer 25

1- Athenians and Greeks on the beach of Artemisium could block the Persians.
2- If Athenians could stop the Persians, Xerxes’ land army would have to wait there and would be trapped in Greece without supplies.
Persians were inexperienced at sea.
1- Had no proper navy, Xerxes family were his admirals
2- Phoenicians were the only ones who had had some experience at sea before (not warriors).
3- Persian fleet, hard to control, many languages etc.

Question 26

Spartans Misjudge the Persians

Answer 26

Thermopylae was the last battle for Leonidas and his men. Army hadn’t actually prepared well, as they underestimated the Persians’ speed.
Spartans had no backup.
Deluded?

Question 27

Battle of Thermopylae 480 BC.

Answer 27

H: Demaratus was now adviser to Xerxes after being overthrown as Spartan King. he acted a spokesman and and warned the King against the courage of the Spartans and that the Greeks would be hard to conquer due to their laws etc, but he wasn’t believed.
Leonidas, placed 1000 men (and himself) on the high pass to guard a Persian attack from behind. Expected to hold off Persians until more Spartans arrived.

Question 28

Persian Attack Fails (Thermopylae)

Answer 28

Day 1- Xerxes sends in the Medes, who were beaten back.
Persians couldn’t break the phalanx.
Spartans pretended to retreat, then would attack.
Day 2- Persians attacked, but failed again.

Question 29

Treachery at the Pass (Thermopylae)

Answer 29

Greek traitor, Ephialtes, aided Xerxes, and discovered a route around the Thermopylae. Could attack Spartans from behind. Spartans were trapped.

Question 30

To The Death (Thermopylae/Artemisium)

Answer 30

Day 3- Leonidas split the army. H says he split them due to the oracle’s readings and that some of them had no heart.
Spartans and other Greeks fought at the pass, the Greek fleet held the Persian line of ships at Artemisium.
Themistocles persuaded Eurybiades to take the fleet to Salamis.
After victory, Xerxes first aim was to take Athens.

Question 31

Spartan Command At Sea

Answer 31

Spartans recognised at the leaders of Persian resistance on land. They accepted the majority decision of the Hellenic League and agreed to lead the naval force.
Eurybiades was chosen as commander, as the Pelp states didn’t want to serve under an Athenian.

Question 32

Greek Masters of the Sea

Answer 32

Xerxes naval fleet came from the south, but many got destroyed by high winds.
3rd day of fighting, Xerxes fleet reached the Greeks.
News of Thermopylae got to them, Themistocles withdrew them.

Question 33

Athens was Punished

Answer 33

Athens had to be evacuated. Xerxes managed to take the Acropolis. Burnt the Athenian temples as revenge.

Question 34

Themistocles’ Plans

Answer 34

Themistocles persuaded them to fight at Salamis.

Themistocles sent a false message to Xerxes, saying that the Greek fleet were going to disband

Question 35

The Salamis Channel

Answer 35

Many Pelps feared they would be trapped within the channel. Themistocles threatened the Pelps to make them stay there. And he wanted to bring on a battle with Xerxes.

Question 36

Battle of Salamis - Sept 480 BC

Answer 36

Xerxes moved his armada into the channel. Artemisia advised him against going into the straits.
Persians realised they had been fooled.
Persian fleet was not as strong as their land army.

Question 37

Kyklos Formation

Answer 37

Persians were trapped inside a Greek circle. Persians ships were rammed, could not escape.

Question 38

Greek Victory

Answer 38

Greeks pushed the Persian fleet out of the straits of Salamis. Great victory, as Greeks had defeated the world’s largest naval.

Question 39

The Persians are Losing the War

Answer 39

Persians shouldn’t have fought on enemy terms entering the straits.
Persian rowers, had no energy after travelling so far.
Hard to control people who spoke different languages.

Question 40

Xerxes Leaves Greece

Answer 40

Mardonius was keen to attack the Peloponnese, or for Xerxes to leave him with 300,000 men.
Xerxes could leave war with honour as he had taken Athens, burned the Acropolis, punished Athenians.
Athenians were scared to return back to Athens.
Xerxes left Mardonius in control of the army. And sent King of Macedon to get earth and water from Athens in return for their city back.

Question 41

Portrayal of Themistocles

Answer 41

Spartans treated him like a hero. Gave him an equal prize to Eurybiades.
Athenians offered him with second place victory.

Question 42

Greeks Begin to React

Answer 42

Spartans held an assembly after hearing of the arrival of Xerxes at Sardis (481). Spartans asked for votes on what to do next, 31 Greek cities (including Athens) were willing to stand against the Persians. Still Hellenic League.

Question 43

Two More Campaigns

Answer 43

Greeks had to tackle the Persian army that remained in Greece.
Pausanias (Spartan) would lead Greek land forces.
King Leotychidas (Sparta) gathered a naval fleet at Aegina.

Question 44

Prelude to Battle

Answer 44

Athenians left Athens again after Mardonius attacked again. Herodotus is negative of Spartans for saying they were no longer concerned about Athens.
Phocians (medised), not trusted by Thessalians, who persuaded the Persians to attack them. Greek vs Greek still.

Question 45

Battle of Plataea

Answer 45

Pausanias, brought an army north, of about 38,700 Greek hoplites.
Most Athenian hoplites were led by Aristides.
Mardonius attacked with Persian horsemen, who were cut down by Athenian archers.

Question 46

Death of Mardonius

Answer 46

Pausanias, cunningly ordered the army to divide, giving the illusion they were retreating.
Mardonius launched his cavalry, but then discovered a phalanx, which he couldn’t break up.
Greek hoplites trapped and defeated the Persians.
Mardonius died in battle.
Herodotus praises the Tegeans and Athenians, but gives most credit to Spartans.

Question 47

The Serpent Column

Answer 47

Cross reference - but doesn’t completely add up with Herodotus, he adds 5 extra…
Dedication of thanks to Apollo at Delphi by the states who had defeated the Persians at Plataea.
31 states named, Sparta at top, followed by Athens and Corinth.
13 cities from the Pelp.

Question 48

Ionians Ask For Help

Answer 48

Ionian ambassador arrived at Aegina where the Greek fleet now was and begged for the help of Greek ships.
Leotychidas agreed to go to Samos.
Greeks arrived and found that the Persians had already fled south of Mount Mycale.
Xanthippus (Athenian leader) urged an initial attack.

Question 49

Battle of Mycale

Answer 49

Greek fleet assembled a small hoplite army of about 600 marines.
Xanthippus ordered them to not wait for the Spartans, (foretells future problems) and to attack.
Spartans had circled slopes above the camp and then eventually came down upon the Persians and helped win the battle.
Athens and Sparta still working together…
Herodotus gives main credit to Athens, none to Sparta.

Question 50

Consequences of Mycale

Answer 50

Greeks burnt all the Persian ships, and freed the Ionians.
Conference held about Ionians, Sparta said they should settle on land of medised Greek, as they would not be protected by the Persians.
Athenians said they should join the Hellenic League.