The Persian invasions of 470 – 479BC saw the Battle of Thermopylae, The Battle of Artemisium, The Battle of Salamis, The Battle of Plataea and The Battle of Mycale. These battles also saw the contributions of many key individuals, which lead to the victory of the Greeks in the ends as well as the rise of the Greek navy.
The Battle of Thermopylae was the first between the Greeks and Persians during the Persian invasion of 480 – 479BC. The Greek force was very small compared to the Persians but was determined to make a stand against the huge army of 300,000 Persians suggested by modern historians compared to Herodotus account of the army consisting of 1700 000 men. The Greeks chose to defend a narrow pass, or gap, between the mountains of central Greece and the sea, called Thermopylae.
The Greeks, who were made up of only 300 Spartans under the rule of Leonidas and about 7000, allied Greeks these included; Arcadia, Mantineans, Arcadian Orchomenus, Orchomenians, Corinth, Phlius, Mycenae, Boeotia, Thespians and Thebans, noted by Herodotus. Persians waited 3 days to march up to the Greeks to start the battle; they opened the battle by shooting arrows. The Greeks took it in turn to be in the front line of their phalanx and fought off wave
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All these battles had significant impacts to either the war or the moral of the Greek Army. The most significant Battles were The Battle of Salamis and The Battle of Plataea. These battles also saw the contributions of many key individuals, which lead to the victory of the Greeks in the ends as well as the rise of the Greek navy. These Key individuals included Leonidas, Themistocles, Eurybiades and Pausanias. They all had major roles and all contributed differently through out the Persian invasions leading to the victory of the Greeks of the
(http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/text?lookup-trm+ov+8.5&vers=engligh&browse+1). In conclusion, the Greeks defeated the Persians in the Persian Wars aided by unforgettable acts of heroism, divine support, and most importantly, Greek unity.
While the army reached Thermopylae intact, the fleet suffered at the hand of two storms, with Herodotus attributing them to God attempting to equalize the opposing forces . The disparity between the size of the Persian and the size of the Greek forces was huge – thus, the Greeks’ strategy relied on geography . Holding the narrows at Thermopylae and the concurrent straits of Artemisium meant that Xerxes’ numerical superiority was reduced. It was here, on land and sea, that Greece showcased the superiority of it...
Although the Spartans and Athenians fought for almost 20 years, there was a time when they lived in harmony. Almost 15 years before any disturbances the Athenians and Spartans fought together in the Persian war. During the Persian war, the Spartans were thriving in their fight against the Persians, however over time the Persians began to grow stronger. After being to lose their fighting streak, the Athenians came in to help the Spartans and bring an end to Persian dominance once and for all (The Delian League, 1). After defeating the Persians in 449 B.C., the...
Themistocles contribution to the defence of Greece was more significant than any other Greek individual. To what extent do you agree?
In 480 BC the Persian Empire was once again trying to invade ancient Greece. Under the reign of King Xerxes, an invincible army of a recorded 2 million was marching downwards to enslave all Greeks. An elite force of three hundred Spartans tackled the suicide mission of stalling the Persian wave of doom.
There are times in history that something will happen and it will defy all logic. It was one of those times when a few Greek city/states joined together and defeated the invasion force of the massive Persian Empire. The Greeks were able to win the Greco-Persian War because of their naval victories over the Persians, a few key strategic victories on land, as well as the cause for which they were fighting. The naval victories were the most important contribution to the overall success against the Persians. The Persian fleet was protecting the land forces from being outflanked and after they were defeated the longer had that protection. While the Greeks had very few overall victories in battle they did have some strategic victories. The Battle of Thermopylae is an example of a strategic success for the Greeks. The morale of the Persian army was extremely affected by the stout resistance put up by King Leonidas and his fellow Spartans. The Greeks fought so hard against overwhelming odds because of what they were fighting for. They were fighting for their country and their freedom. They fought so hard because they did not want to let down the man next to them in the formation. Several things contributed to the Greeks success against the Persian invasion that happened during the Second Greco-Persian War.
The main reason for Persian failures between 490 B.C. and 479 B.C. was not because the Persians made more mistakes than the Greeks did, but instead because the Greeks had superior armour and weapons and tactics. During certain battles the geography was also a disadvantage to the Persians and helped in their loss.
The Greco-Persian Wars (499-449 BCE) was a conflict between the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and the Greek city states, which began when Cyrus the Great
Xerxes battle of Thermoplae had over two million men and four thousand ships. The Battle of Thermoplae was between the Persians and Greeks. King Xerxes ruthlessly killed 300 spartans and their leader Leonidas. Both the battle of Salams and the battle of Platae were caused in revenge for the Greeks for what he had done in the battle of Thermoplae. The losses at Salamis and Platae eventually ended the second invasion he was planning. At the battle of Salamis he lost at least 300 vessels. Xerxes was a famously know king and army leader.
One of the most significant battles in antiquity was fought on the narrow, tree strewn plain of Marathon, in September, 490 BC. There, the Athenian army defeated a Persian force more than twice its size, because of superior leadership, training and equipment. The battle of Marathon has provided inspiration to the underdogs throughout history. In 490 BC, the Athenians proved that superior strategy, and technology can claim victory over massive numbers.
The Battle of Thermopylae began in 480 BC and was a product of the Greeks attempt help defend the Ionians from the Persians. This irritated the Persian Emperor, Xerxes, because he thought of Greece as a small kingdom that had no place revolting against the Persian Empire. The Athenians sympathized with the Ionians because the Persians had also tried to invade Greece on multiple occasions. The Athenians provided feeble help to the Ionians and in retaliation the Persians struck at athens (23B). Xerxes was known to be irrational with his temper, and may have thought of his invasion as retaliation for the fact that his father, Darius the Great, was defeated at the Battle of Marathon against the Greeks. His temper was so great that at Hellas Point he had the water whipped because it would not obey him (E49). One of several Greek war leaders in the Battle of Thermopylae was Leonidas, the second born son of King Anaxandridas. It was not until his half brother was killed under controversial circumstances that Leonidas rose to power (G72). Apart from misconceptions spread by the popular film “300,” the three hundred Spartans did not go into battle alone, and were accompanied by over eight hundred allies. Nevertheless, the Persians still outnumbered the Greeks ten to one, which is why it is incredible that the Greeks were able to hold them for three days before eventually losing that specific battle. Despite losing the battle in terms of soldiers and defending greece, the battle of thermopylae was somewhat successful in that it was a demonstration of the courage of greek soldiers, impressive battle tactics,
The Battle of Salamis is said to be one of the most important battles in all of history. It was a naval battle fought between the massive Persian army and smaller Greek army in the Bay of Salamis in 480 BCE. This battle was one of the many battles that were a part of the Greco-Persian war. This paper will explore the events leading up to the battle, the battle itself, including advantages and disadvantages both sides had on one and other, and will finally discuss the affects the result of this battle had on each side. Surprisingly, the much smaller Greek army defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.
When examining the causes for the Peloponnesian War, which was between 431-404 B.C., there are a number of causes that factored into the cause of this war. However, one of the most important causes to this war was largely due to the fact that the Spartans feared the growing power and success of Athens. The Spartans were “particularly alarmed at the growing power of Athens” (Cartwright, “Peloponnesian War”). During the Persian war in 479 BC, Athens grew fiercely strong with power with help of its many allies and continued with their no mercy attacks on Persian territories. When the Persians left Greece, Athens further enraged Sparta when they built large and tall walls around its empire in the event of an attack, which was mostly thought to be from Sparta if it happened.
Persian forces sent scouts to observe the Greek army and offer one last chance of surrendering. When that offer came back refused, King Xerxes sent wave after wave of attacks up the narrow path to their demise. King Leonidas Spartan fighting and defensive techniques proved superior during the first two days of the battle conquering many Persian armies’, as 10,000 troops per wave charged the hill. Even when the Persian King sent his best warriors to charge the path along the coast, only to be disappointed by the defeat of King Leonidas and his Spartan army. Persian King was so angry that he commanded his archers to rain arrows on the Greeks as well as his own Persians who were fighting at the time. With the Persian king continuously sending wave after wave of soldiers attacking the Gates, frustration quickly became apparent because of the null penetration he was receiving. It was not until a Greek betrayer by the name of Ephialtes assisted the Persians in return for profit. This ended with the Persian army circling the Greeks thus outflanking them and eventually defeating the Greeks. Convinced that he could succeed where his father failed, military council persuaded King Xerxes, to invade Greece and destroy Athens. King Xerxes started losing soldiers before the battle even took place. Not having enough intelligence on the Spartan fighting skills proved costly to the Persians army. Not having the knowledge of the layout of the land cost them tens of thousands of men. Finally, not having a weather scholar to help with the change in weather, cost King Xerxes many ships in the
At the Battle of Thermopylae, Leonidas and his troops fenced off the Persian attacks for seven days straight, including three days of intense battle, while killing off large numbers of enemy troops. On page 134, Demaratus told Xerxes, “Greece has poverty as her birthright, but she has also won courage by her own merits, namely by her wisdom, and the strength of her laws. With courage, Greece is able to keep both poverty and despotism from her shores … don’t bother to ask how man they are that they are able to do this; if there are but a thousand in the field, these will fight you; if they are fewer, or more, these will fight you just the same.” So that is how the Greeks withstood the Pesian force for so long and even their elite special force ‘The Immortals.’ Eventually Leonidas became aware that his force was going to be attacked and taken over, and therefore diminished the vast majority of the Greek army rather than suffer more high casualties. Leonidas himself however remained behind and defended Sparta with his 300 Spartan soliers and some other remaining Thespians and Thebans. Leonidas was killed in the resulting battle. Xerxes was a very angry man who fought for revenge and power whereas Leonidas fought for his country. There is also the comparison of Xerxes and Alexander the Great. Alexander, ages 20-32, commanded a much