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. In the Battle of Marathon Persian mistakes had a part in their failure but it was also the Greeks’ superior armour, weapons, and tactics that were the main reason for their loss. A mistake the Persians made that may have changed the tide of the battle was loading the cavalry back onto their ships. This mistake gave the Greeks a greater chance at victory as they had less to fight against and were not able to be trampled by horses. A larger reason for their failure would be that the Greeks had …show more content…
tactics that countered theirs. Miltiades, who had knowledge of Persian fighting tactics, formed the Greek forces with a weak centre and strong wings, which was able to push back the Persians and encircle them, giving way to Greek victory. Another reason for Persian failure would be that the Persians had weak armour made of wicker while the Greeks had stronger armour. Overall for this battle while Persian mistakes did play a part in their failure, it was not the main reason, as the Greeks’ tactics also caused their loss. The Battle of Thermopylae was ultimately a Persian success but they began with failures. The main reason for this was not due to mistakes made by the Persians, but because of the Greeks’ choice of location and their superior weaponry and armour. A reason for initial failure was that the Persians did not learn from their previous battle with the Greeks and kept using inferior armour and weapons. However it can be argued that more durable armour would be too heavy for the Persians to carry all the way to Greece and so they had no choice in what to use. The Greeks were able to choose the location of the battle and decided on the narrow pass at Thermopylae. This location negated the advantage of the Persians’ greater numbers as only a certain number of men were able to fit down the pass, decreasing the chance of Persian success. The geography of Thermopylae was a large reason for Persian initial failure as if it had been more open then their greater numbers would have been able to overwhelm the Greek forces. The Greeks also had a superior spear, the dory, which was longer than the Persians’ spears allowing them to hit first in battle. Their shield, the hoplon, was circular and made of wood covered with a layer of metal which was far superior then the Persians’ wicker shields. Their advantages in weapons and armour were a big reason for Persian failure. Ultimately the Persians’ initial failure was not due to mainly mistakes made, but the location of the battle and their opponents’ superior weaponry and armour. While the Persians made the mistake of engaging in battle at Salamis the main reasons for their loss during the battle was not due to mistakes.
Other reasons can be given for their loss, such as the narrow straights and shallow waters, and the Greeks’ metal bows on their triremes. It can be said that the Persians’ decision of fighting there caused their loss because if they had avoided that battle and went straight to the Peloponnese they may have had more victory. Queen Artemisia warned Xerxes about fighting at Salamis but he ignored her, instead trusting a Greek traitor who had told him to fight there as the Greeks were arguing with each other. This was a large mistake for Xerxes to make as the Greek traitor was actually sent by Themistocles to trick him. In the battle itself a main reason for Persian failure was the geography of the narrow straits and shallow waters. The Persians were unable to navigate their ships well in that location and their ships were rammed by the Greek triremes with their metal bows. In the overall war the Persians made the mistake of engaging in this battle, but the main reasons during the battle for their loss was because of
geography. While mistakes were an important part of the Persian failure between 490 B.C. and 479 B.C. it was not the main reason for their loss. Other reasons such as the Greeks’ superior armour and weaponry, and their choice of tactics and geography also played a large part in the Persian failure.
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.
(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...
The image seen below is a Troezen Decree; an inscription proposed by Themistocles in preparation for the battle of Salamis. Within this primary artefact, he states that the Athenians should evacuate their homes and battle against the Persian invaders. Just as the previous sources and their implicit meanings, Themistocles was obviously a man who maintained influence over the Athenian people; he logically took the risk of forcing the entire community to leave Athens for the greater good of society. Though, it is the fact that the Athenians listened to Themistocles’ risk induced proposal that truly exemplifies his unconditional leadership. Reinforcing these ideals are that of Herodotus’ accounts of Themistocles during the Battle of Salamis. Acclaimed as a great historian of Greek history, Herodotus details that the Greeks were about to leave Salamis; however, by utilizing blackmail to enforce that the Athenians would be forced to sail to Italy, Themistocles convinced the entire population to remain at Salamis. Herodotus then explains that Themistocles sent a messenger to inform Xerxes that he should attack the bay of Salamis immediately; and, Xerxes fell for this devious plan, where the Persian fleet entered at nightfall. Because of the bay being too narrow, though, the Persians were under attack and were forced to retreat. Herodotus’ retellings of these events imply that Themistocles organized events so perfectly for a planned defeat. The manipulation of the Greeks to stay at Salamis through the means of blackmail reveals how intellectually intact Themistocles was and that he would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Having the knowledge that Salamis and its narrow bay would be such a simple yet effective method of defeat, this solidifies that Themistocles
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...
When the Persian fleet had arrived at Aphetae, Eurybides, the commander of the small amount of ships that Sparta had sent, wished to turn tail, and return home. Themistocles used bribe of thirty talents to keep him, and his ships at the front. (Herodotus, 1954) Themistocles, seeing the overwhelming navy of the Persians conducted a plan: When the fighting broke out, the highly-trained Greeks would allow themselves to become encircled. At the first blow of the signal horn, the triremes would form a ‘close circle – bows outward, sterns to the centre.’ From this position, they had no mobility; the only direction in which they could move was forward, and that is exactly what they did. On the second signal blast, these lighter and faster Greek triremes rammed the Persian ships, and with their bronze-sheathed battering rams on the bow of the ships, caused great damage to the enemy ships. (Herodotus, 1954) Another tactic that Themistocles used was his discussion to initiate the battle in the mid to late afternoon. One cannot fight at sea when dark, and he knew that; making sure that this was done minimised casualties for the Greeks and tired out the Persian men, who had been ready to begin fighting since the very early morning. Overall, this decision made sure the battle had a fast conclusion. When they got word of the massacre at Thermopylae, however, Themistocles called a retreat, as they were only holding the pass to prevent Xerxes using his navy to assist his men at Thermopylae, and at this moment in time, there were no men at Thermopylae that were worth protecting, anymore. (Last Stand of the 300,
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.
In the years that follow Persia grows its empire. Then king Darius decides to force the Ionians to settle their differences by sending his son-in-law Mardonius to suppress the tyrants and set up a democracy. Along with those objectives Mardonius also had another motive for his trip. King Darius instructed him to “subjugate as many Greek towns as he could” (p. 338). Herodotus shows a big difference between his beliefs and the beliefs of most modern day historians while describing Mardonius’ journey. Herodotus gives a report of a wreck in Athos and says that those who did not drown were eaten because “the sea in the neighbourhood of Athos is full of monsters” (p. 338). This is contrary to what I think a modern day historian would say happened in this ship wreck. According to Herodotus this wreck does not stop the Persians from subduing the Brygi,a Macedonian tribe that attacked the Persian fleets. This account exemplifies the brute strength of the Persian army because even after a loss they are able to overpower a tribe of people. The Persians are known for their organization so it was only right that they return back to Asia in order to regroup after losing so much during the shipwreck and battle with the Brygi. The Persians battle tactics appear to involve large fleets of ships. These fleets include
During the Persian War, Sparta and Athens worked together to defeat the Persians. The discipline and strength of Spartan Army helped saved Greece from invasion. Afterwards Sparta and Athens alliances were formed. Athenians had superior naval force and enforced the democratic rule in states allied to Athens. Neighboring allied states depended on the trade provided by Athens navy. In the same time Athens had established themselves as the head of the empire. (Lecture 7 notes). Sparta had superior land army and they destroyed Athens crops in order to have a hold on Athens and force them to surrender. The war lasted 10 years with neither side winning the war. At the end they agreed to a truce. A few years later, Athens tried to conquer Sicily, but the Sicilians defeated Athens. Athens lost much of its army and navy. The Spartans took advantage of this weakness and attacked Athens and cut of their trade routes and food supplies. Spartans won and Sparta became the most powerful city in
Sun Tzu strongly advocates for trickery on the battlefield, saying “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable.”7 The Athenians use their smaller army to their advantage and planned a tactical military formation outside of Marathon. They placed the majority of the men in the left and right wings of the army, which meant the “ranks of the centre were diminished, and it became the weakest part of the line” in the hopes that the Persian army would break through.8 When the battle commenced, the front line of Athenians charged at the enemy, and to the Persians “it seemed to them that the Athenians were bereft of their senses, an bent upon their own destruction; for they saw a mere handful of men coming on at a run.”9 The Persians were lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that their enemies had much less men than they actually
Darius’ first attempt at capturing Athens was a complete failure from the beginning. He sent an army around the northern coast of the Aegean Sea. However, a storm destroyed his supply ships, forcing him to turn back. Two years later Darius tried again. He sent a large army and fleet of about 200 ships directly across the Aegean Sea to seize ...
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 was not planned whatsoever. It was the result of the Greek losses at both Artemisium and Thermopylae. Themistocles, commander of the Greek army, decided to put his ships in at the Bay of Salamis in order to allow the Greek citizens to evacuate Attica, a region of Ancient Greece which included Athens, because the Persians were approaching quite rapidly. There was lots of debate between all of the Greek military leaders about whether they should go with Themistocles plan or not. Luckily, they went with it because who knows what would have happened if they did not. This was the last chance for Greek survival and everyone knew that. Attica was already under attack by the Persian land force, which was commanded by Xerxes, Darius’s son. The bay of Salamis was also a convenient battle location because, if needed, the Greeks could draw the Persian...
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.
The Ancient Greek contribution ranged by the 1900-133 BC, however its influence on the Western Literate Society lasts to this day. As the Greeks expanded their empire, they spread their ideas to other countries, while also borrowing from other cultures. During this period of time, the Greeks made many significant and long-lasting contribution to our modern culture in Philosophy, Art, Democracy, Drama, Math, and Science. These givings of important ideas, inventions, and structures have had an extraordinary influence on the surrounding environment, society, and in the future. The essential contribution of Greeks to the Western Civilization are Democracy, Art, and Philosophy.