Why Greece beat Persia

Question 1

give examples of Greek unity and disunity (4)

Answer 1

-Herodotus says the Thebans were “Persias firm friends”
-Herodotus calls the battle of Mycale “the second Ionian revolt”
-serpents column shows 31 cities opposed the persians
-“punish all men of greek blood who without compulsion yielded to the persians” Herodotus

Question 2

Explain the Athenian influence in the war

Answer 2

-“i think that his chief motive was apprehension of losing Athenian support” herodotus
-without the athenians “there would have been no attempt to resist the Persians by sea” herodotus
-he says although its an unpoular opinion the greeks won because of the Athenian navy

Question 3

give examples of good Spartan leadership (2) compared to bad Persian leadership (1)

Answer 3

-“the other members of the confederacy had stipulated for a lacedomnian commander” Herodotus
-At salamis Thermistocles says “fighting in confined space favours us but the open sea favours the enemy”
-Artabanus says Xerxes’ greatest enemies are “the land and the sea”

Question 4

Give examples of persian disadvantages

Answer 4

-“his reason for abandoning attica was that it was a bad country for cavalry” Herodotus
-“in courage and strength they were as good as their adversaries but they were deficient in armour, untrained and greatly inferior in skill” Herodotus
-“the Persians using shorter spars than the Greeks and having no advantage from their numbers” Herodotus

Question 5

Give two examples of luck in the Persian war

Answer 5

-the persians lost half their fleet due to storms allowing greeks to win Herodotus
-Theristocles tricked the Persians into attacking allies at Salamis