Download Commentaar slides pwp Perz

Commentaar slides pwp Perz. En Pel. Oorlogen
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Verschil? Klein-Aziatische poleis weg + koninklijke weg.
Hoe zie je grootsheid van de vorst (let ook op bankje)? Bas-reliëf+
vergelijke met benadering farao vorig jaar.
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Darius met z’n onsterfelijken
Darius met parasol
Graftombe van Perzische vorsten
Uitleg Perzische bestuur
Koninklijk paleis in Persepolis, zal vernietigd worden door Alexander
de Grote
Er was een zaal met 100 zuilen waar gasten aan een banket konden
aanschuiven.
Imponerende trap die leidde naar troonzaal van koning Darius waar
hij alle geschenken ontving. Niet alleen naar aanleiding van nieuwjaar
moeten alle onderworpen volkeren geschenken meebrengen, ook
gezanten uit bevriende staten probeerden op een goed blaadje te staan.
De trap was speciaal breed en niet steil gemaakt voor geschenken als
paarden, buffels, sieraden, leeuwen, textiel,… Alexander had naar
verluidt 10.000 ezels en 5000 kamelen nodig om alle geschenken mee
te pakken en daarna de stad in brand te steken.
Opstand in Milete, krijgen steun van Athene en Eretria.
Bondgenootschap + veldslagen
Marathon (bekijken cijfergegevens + legende) This battle was an
underdog victory for the ancient Greeks. The Persians under the command of
Datis and Artaphrenes have taken Eretria and now land at the beach of Marathon
to invade mainland Greece. The reason for this was the Greek sacking of the
Asian and Persian city of Sardis. In revenge the Persian king Darius sent a
punitive expedition in 492 BC that was struck down in a storm while sailing
around Mt. Athos. Two years later Darius again sent his fleet out. They landed
first on the island of Euboea to take the city of Eritrea. After a siege they take the
city and move its remaining population. Then they cross over to the mainland at
Marathon. There is around 25,000 of them. They chose this area because
communication lines were short, the land was suited for Persian cavalry, and an
old deposed Greek tyrant and collaborator, Hippias, lived in that area a decade
earlier. The Athenians mustered their troops and marched out to meet them. Later
1000 Plataean troops arrived to be true to their 519 BC alliance with Athens.
After a 7 day standoff the Greeks, under Miltiades, charged at the Persian
invaders in a "suicidal frenzy", or so thought the Persians. The Persians were
probably starting to get back on their ships, so their cavalry wasn't ready.
However they were involved since contemporary paintings show cavalry. With
stronger wings and a thin center, the better armed and armored Greeks surround,
kill and drive the Persians off the beaches at Marathon! The charge seems to have
been made under heavy arrow fire. After the remaining Persians escape, the rest
sail towards Athens' east harbor called Phalerum, around the Sunium cape. But at
Phalerum they see the returning army on the hills shining in the sunlight and turn
back to Asia. 192 Athenians die in the battle and it is said 6400 Persians die.
For dating the battle, it lies in the absence of the Spartans. They have decided to
wait before sending help to Marathon. A runner was sent on the "real" marathon
run to Sparta to get help. The Spartans tell him they must wait for the full moon
before doing anything militarily, then he leaves. The full moon was in the early
hours of September 9. When the Spartans left they took 3 days to march to
Athens (9,10,11) but were late for the battle and the scaring of the Persians at
Phalerum (Athens' harbor). Therefore the Battle of Marathon most likely
occurred on September 10, 490 BC. But why September and not August? Since
the September is the end of the sailing season, and the Persians still had most of
their forces, they didn't attack Greece again that year so they must have just
realized it was too late and said "we'll get em next year", or what would be 10
years from now! The Greeks place almost mythic status on this battle. It was
history's greatest at that time. In truth, if the Persians won and conquered Greece,
what would have stopped them from continuing right across the Mediterranean?.
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Probleem van de hellespont. Xerxes wacht 10 jaar omdat
er ook interne problemen zijn in het gigantische Perzië.
Prologue to 480 BC
After the Persian failure of September 10, 490 BC, Persian king Darius I decides
on a full scale invasion of Greece but is forced to quell rebellion in Egypt and
dies in 486 BC before invading Greece again. His son, Xerxes I, is made king in
November and ends Egyptian rebellion, but has to fight again in Babylon
delaying the Greek plans to 484 BC. The Persian court seems to have been the
real force behind the younger king. He takes 3 years to prepare, and is in Sardis
(modern west Turkey) by October 481 BC. Spending the winter and spring
gathering a huge Army and Navy he leaves Sardis on what might have been April
8. He learns that storms have destroyed his bridges that he will use to cross the
Hellespont. He orders that the Hellespont's waters be lashed 300 times. His men
now have to build new bridges. They were impressive feats. It took over 300
ships for each bridge. Xerxes gets his army across in 7 days and moving again
after more delays, by the summer solstice (June 21). The Army is about 400,000
strong, 10,000 men from 40+ sections of the Persian Empire. The Navy has about
750 warships and around 450 transports (1207 is the total) manned by about
360,000 men. 22,000 men are used to guard the communication lines. They
march and sail along the coast to modern Thessaloniki in Macedonia while
engineers build roads into Greece. So they don't have to hurry. They build a canal
through the Isthmus of Actium to avoid Mt. Athos, where the Persian navy was
sunk by storms in 492 BC. Thessalonki (then called Therma) and Thebes
surrender instantly to Xerxes. Arriving near Therma in late July they stay in that
area in August due to hot weather and waiting for the harvests from Macedonia
and Therma. This is one reason why the battles to come were in September, not
August. Herodotus tells us that rivers were drunk dry by the Persians, showing
how hot that summer was (like August 2000 AD in Greece).
This is the only time in Ancient Greek history where the leading city states joined
to fight a common enemy. The Spartans lead the alliance that they formed in
October 481 BC when Xerxes reached Sardis. It is referred to as the Corinthian
League. The Greeks knew of the Persian buildup for some time. In July 481 BC
the Delphi oracle prophesised that Athens was doomed if she was to fight the
Persians. A message from the oracle said "The wooden wall will not fall" seemed
to show that the Athenian navy was required to fight the Persians. Realistically, if
the Athenian navy stayed out of the war, Xerxes could sail his army to anywhere
in Greece. In September 481 BC Athens was evacuated, the women and children
were sent to Troezen, but the priests remained on the Acropolis. When the league
met, both Athens and Sparta were worried. Sparta was told by the oracle that
either their king would die or Sparta would be destroyed. The city of Argos
declines to join causing more worry. Aegina and Syracuse could not be counted
on for support and Greek spies were caught in Sardis. Evacuating Athens now
was probably due to false information on Persian movements. The Greeks spend
a winter worrying about the next year. The next spring Therma sends
ambassadors to Corinth to ask for Greek help. The Greeks march to the Tempe
pass but learn the Persians can bypass them. They leave Therma isolated and she
surrenders to Xerxes in July. The council at Corinth decides to defend the 8-foot
wide pass of Thermopylae. In this year Kalliades is Archon in Athens.
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Verhaaltje ingenieur + straf zee
Bekijken cijfers, herhaling Spartaanse mentaliteit. Komt ook een film
uit over deze slag. This battle is a true showing of courage and betrayal.
Coastal fire signals are used to alert Greece that Xerxes leaves Therma and
Spartan king Leonidas is given command of the Greeks at Thermopylae. A
festival in Sparta delays their whole army from marching to the pass. The pass is
almost perfect for holding an army at bay. It is only 8 or 9 feet wide at its
smallest point. In antiquity it was a cliffside pass. Enemies could be speared and
thrown over the cliff into the sea. Today the silt has built up to over a mile from
the sea.
By September 13, Xerxes has made it to the pass and the Greeks have 271
warships at Artemisium. The fire signals alert them that the navy is approaching.
Xerxes waits for 4 days before attacking the Greeks (hoping they will just run
away) which number only about 4200. On September 17 the Median and
Elimite(Cissian) divisions are sent forward. The Greeks make short work of them
but do this all day long. Many are simply drove off the cliffs. Xerxes sends his
bodyguard, called the "Immortals" by Herodotus but really known as
"Companions". 3 times Xerxes panics when the Greeks drive them off. The main
reason is that the Greeks use longer spears so the Persians can't reach them. On
the 18th the Persian do no better. Each Greek cities' contingent take a turn leading
the defense to give the other guys a break. But the Phocian division guards a
mountain path that will be of use later. But the Persians get what they need. A
Greek named Ephialtes informs Xerxes that he can outflank the Greeks by using
the mountain path that cuts around the pass to the south. Xerxes already knows
the Greeks have only 4200 men. They use the path on the night of the 18th. On
the morning of September 19, 480 BC a Persian contingent walks too loudly on
the dry oak leaves (obviosly late August or later) and wakes the Phocians. They
think the whole Persian army is coming toward them and retreat a little and stand
to fight to the death. But the Persians don't have time to mess with them and
hurry down the mountain. They must get behind the pass of Thermopylae before
sunup. Leonidas learns that the Persians have outflanked him. He tells his men to
eat well since they won't survive the day. He sends 2600 men back south and
remains with his 300 Spartan personal guard and the 1100 Boetians (700
Thespians and 400 Thebans) stay to stall for time. Leonidas remembers the oracle
about Sparta and stands firm. This can only explain such a decision to stay here
instead of retreating to the Corinthian Isthmus. Although the Greeks now number
only 1400 or so, the Persians are scared to death of them. Their infantry has to be
whipped forward by the officers and pure numbers eventually overwhelmed the
Spartans. Leonides falls in the fight and the remaining Greeks use all their power
to drive the enemy back to get his body (it took 4 attempts of non-hoplite style
fighting). The Greeks run to a hill for a last stand at the entry to the narrows of
the pass. Now the Thebans under the command of Leontiades surrender and the
Thespians and the Spartans are left to their fate. There are only 900-1000 men
left! They stand in close ranks and the Persians completeley circle them and fire
thousands of arrows and spears to kill them. The battle site was discovered in
modern times by finding the Persian arrowheads. Xerxes found the body of king
Leonidas and had it beheaded and the body crucified.
Thus ended the Battle Of Thermopylae, the ultimate stand against impossible
odds! A Golden lion was erected on the hill where the Thespians and Spartans
made their last stand in honor of King Leonidas. It is said the Persians lost 20,000
men. But now the road to Athens and central Greece is wide open. Athens is just
85 miles away, no more than 2 days distance for the Persian cavalry! But the
Greeks had some luck at this time. The Navy off of Thermopylae at Artemisium
had better luck!
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Leonidas
Grieken maken gebruik van hun kleinere wendbare botenWell here they
were in September, 480 BC. The Greek navy knew it could handle the Persian
navy, but was forced to sail to Salamis. The Athenians go to Athens' harbor of
Phalerum. Since they could not engage the Persian fleet again due to the end of
the land battle at Thermopylae, all of Boeotia and Attica fall into Persian control.
The Greeks take the rest of the people who remained in Athens, who wished to
leave, to the Peloponnese. Some religious hardliners stay and fortify the
Acropolis. They build a wooden palisade because they believe it is the "wooden
wall" that will not fall. In the meantime, king Xerxes is covering up his losses at
Thermopylae. He buries huge numbers of dead men in trenches (19,000) and
covers the trenches with foliage so his sailors, who are about to visit, don't see his
rather large embarrassment. On the third day of the battles, near the evening, a
man from Histiaea went in a merchantship to Aphetae, and told the Persians that
the Greeks had fled from Artemisium. The Persians didn't believe him but sent
out scouts anyway. Since the Greeks had left , the Persians sent their fleet to
Artemisium at sunrise on September 20th. They stay until mid-day and sail and
capture the coastal city of Histiaea. Xerxes sends a message to his sailors to come
and see his "Great Victory" at Thermopylae. His men were not fooled at all. Why
did so many Greeks die on a little hill where a thousand Persian soldiers were so
spread out. And what was with the long lines of dead foliage? It was a total
embarrassment. This sightseeing took all day. At the end of that day, the 21st, the
sailors leave for Histiaea. Xerxes resumes his march south the next day. It was
probably on this day (September 22) that he learned the olympic games were
occurring but in reality had ended 3 or 4 days before. His army burns all villages
in the valley of Cephissus, including a temple of Apollo. His men also rape
women to death. At Panopeis Xerxes sends a division of men to the Oracle at
Delphi but they get caught in a rockslide at Mount Parnassus. Xerxes army is
marching straight for Athens. But along the way they burn the cities of Thespiae
and Plataea. The Persian Navy meanwhile, spends 3 days in Histiaea, and sails
for 3 days and reaches Phalerum. The army had 3 days march advance ahead of
the navy and both forces were joined by Greek forces who really had no choice
since they were completely isolated. The Navy probably started to arrive off of
Phalerum on September 27 at the end of the day. They all got their by the end of
the next day. A 1000 ships don't all arrive and anchor at once. Xerxes meets them
and learns of the battle of Artemisium. Xerxes has already reached Athens, and
after some difficulty, captured the Acropolis. This probably happened also on
September 27 (or even the next day). He burns the Acropolis. The Athenian
exiles who are with the Persians aren't too impressed.
The Greeks now have an interesting problem. Fight the Persians in an all-risk sea
battle at Salamis, or retreat to the Peloponnese and fight a great land battle. On
the night of the 27th, the Athenian commander Themistocles blackmails the
Spartan commander Eurybiades to keep the ships at Salamis. He threatens to take
the Athenian navy to Sicily, which would spell death for Greece. At sunrise on
September 28, there was an earthquake. Xerxes himself wonders how he should
proceed. He decides to send out his army towards the Corinthian Isthmus. Around
50,000 Greeks have spent about a week building a wall across the isthmus to
block the road called the Scironian Way. Since Themistocles wasn't sure the
Greek captains would follow his strategy, he send his slave named Sicinnus, to
Xerxes with the message that he should attack the Greeks quickly before they
"evacuate" Salamis. The Persian commanders are overjoyed at the news. They
want to destroy the Greek Navy! Troops are sent to the islet of Psyttaleia, which
lies between Salamis and the mainland, so Persian sailors can be rescued and
wrecks pulled away from the battle. They spend all night quietly moving their
forces in place. There is no moon so neither side can see each other. Xerxes plans
to ambush a retreating greek navy. His army is also marching towards Corinth.
But now the squabbling greek commanders get what they need. An Athenian
named Panaetius who could now escape persian service came to the Greek
commanders and told them the entire Persian plan of attack, which was really
Themistocles idea all along. He just had to keep his mouth shut. But I'm sure he
enjoyed this moment. So the Greeks prepared their ships for the battle that would
decide whether Xerxes could keep his huge army in Greece. The battle was
fought the next day!
Battle of Salamis
September 29, 480 BC
This was the first great naval battle in recorded history! On the morning of this
day, each side knew this was it. Speeches were given to the troops and they set
out. Contrary to popular belief, the Persian navy attacked first. The Greeks had
just got off the beach when the Persians charged. The greeks seemed to be
frightened but then a greek ship, probably an Athenian, charged out alone
towards the enemy. The rest seemed to renew their courage. All 378 or 380 Greek
ships charged forward. The Persians are in at least 3 lines perpendicular in
formation to a single Greek line. In the narrow bay of Salamis, called the Saronic
gulf, the Persians can't maneuver hardly at all. The battle is a slaughter for the
Persians. The Greeks lose around 40 ships but few men. The Greeks can swim so
I think they may have lost only 100 men or so. The Persians lost huge amounts of
men to drowning. One of the casualties is Xerxes own brother Ariabignes, one of
the chief commanders of the fleet, who was a son of Darius as well. The greeks
sink ship after ship. Most can't retreat due to the congestion. Basically, each
Greek ship was smaller and more agile than the enemy's. So each Greek ship
likely sank 1 Persian ship each. At least 1/3 of Xerxes' fleet is destroyed and now
lying in wrecks on the Attican coastal shore of Colias. The Persian fleet was
between 800 and 1000, now numbered at most 600. All of the Persian navy
certainly wasn't involved. There wouldn't be enough room to maneuver. 200
warships had been lost earlier. The fleet tries to retreat to Phalerum but the
Eginetan contingent of the Greek navy, sinks even more. But eventually, much of
Xerxes fleet makes it back to Phalerum. The battle probably lasted 6 hours and
was over before mid-afternoon. Xerxes was not impressed at all. He called his
sailors women, due to a woman showing great courage in the battle. Her name
was Artemisia. "My men have behaved like women, my women like men", were
his words. Xerxes watches the whole battle from the hill called Aegaleos. That
hill overlooks the entire battle area. After the fight is over, he decides to chain the
Phoenician merchant ships together, to serve at once for a bridge and a wall. The
idea is to keep the greek ships from sailing to the Hellespont and destroying the
bridges there, also to keep his idea of flight from his men, but they are not fooled.
The Greeks meanwhile are cleaning up the gulf and are ready for another fight
but it never happened. The Athenian Aristides takes some heavy combat troops to
the islet of Psyttaleia, and slew all the Persians occupying it. The Persian navy,
beaten and demoralized, limped back to Phalerum.
This battle was the first truly great naval battle of all history. It was the true
turning point in the Persian war. It forced the huge Persian army to begin to
leave.
After Salamis
After the naval defeat of Xerxes on September 29, he knew he had to leave. He
fears the Ionian Greeks defecting. He couldn't take the risk of engaging the Greek
navy again. If he beat them he would have lost so many ships, he could not
supply the army and would be too isolated. If he lost again, the Hellespont
bridges would be in grave danger, and his whole army would be quickly starved
to death. So on September 30 he has completed his ship bridge (but is building a
causway to give the impression of continueing the fight) to Salamis and then
decides to evacuate his ships from Phalerum on that night. He also decides to take
Mardonius' advice and gives him command of 300,000 men to winter in Greece
to fight the next year. Xerxes will take the rest back to Asia. The navy is sent to
guard the Hellespont bridges, but they have to act as the bridges themselves since
a storm has destroyed the old bridges yet again. Meanwhile the Greeks are
waiting anxiously for another attack. Oddly the Persian navy left before their
army did, (Herodotus 8.107-108). The Greeks are still working on the wall. On
October 1, the Persian army is still camped on the Attican side of the Corinthian
Isthmus. They have been plundering the area. Themestocles wants to attack the
Hellespont but the Spartan Commander Eurybiades overrules him since it is
better to let the big enemy escape unharmed so he doesn't have to fight you in a
desperate battle. The Persians were starting to run out of food. On October 2 (or
3), Xerxes and his army begin the long march to the Hellespont. The travel the
same way back that which they came. In Thessaly, They stop and Mardonius
chooses the best men in the army to stay in Greece. Notably the "Immortals" and
Persians with body armor and the finest horsemen. The leader of the Immortals,
Hydarnes, refuses to leave Xerxes side and continues to Asia. He takes 45 days to
reach the Hellespont. Along the way thousands die due to plague, dysentery, but
most of all, starvation. His men have to eat grass, tree bark and leaves. Many men
don't make it to Thrace. They stay in Macedonia. There Xerxes learns that his
sacred chariot and horses of Jove have been stolen by the Thracians of the upper
Strymon river. On about November 15, he reaches the bridges and crosses. By
now he probably had less than 80,000 men. More die when they cross over to
Abydos when the men stuff themselves and seem to have drank contaminated
water. Eventually Xerxes and the survivors of his army make it to Sardis. The
navy winters in Cyme. Meanwhile the Greeks are attacking various island cities
to secure the mainland. Among them is Delos. So ended the year 480 BC. The
Greeks had saved themselves for now, but would be tested on land the next year.
It would be the only time in Greek history that all the major cities would join
forces to destroy the Persian invaders.
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Slag bij PlataeaIn the spring of 479, the navy of 110 ships is at Egina. The
Ionian Greeks are asking the Spartans and the navy to help them, but the Greeks
are worried about sailing east of Delos, so they can't help the Ionian Greeks who
have revolted. Next Mardonius consults the Greek oracles on his fortunes. Next
he sends the Macedonian king Alexander to Athens to offer terms. From a
military standpoint, they are quite fair, but the Athenians make it clear that they
will never surrender to the Persians, which relieves the Spartan ambassadors.
King Alexander leaves and the Spartans go home to begin to prepare for war. In
Thessaly Mardonius isn't too impressed. He mobilizes and marches his army
towards Athens. The Athenians evacuate, mostly to Salamis. The Persians enter a
deserted Athens about July 5, 479. With all of Attica under his control, he again
sends the same terms to Salamis, hoping now the Athenians would simply give
up. Of course the Athenians aren't happy that Sparta hasn't come yet to their aid.
In fact the Spartans were celebrating the festival of Hyacinthia that takes place in
early July. They were also placing the battlements on their new wall across the
Isthmus. On Salamis one of the Athenian statesmen, Lycidas, suggests that the
matter go to the assembly of the people. The Greeks aren't too impressed and
stone him and his family to death. They go off to Sparta to get a decision from the
Ephors. The Ephors delay their answer for 10 days, obviously to allow more time
for the walls completion. But eventually they realize that no wall will hold if the
Persians get their hands on the Athenian navy. So they send land troops out,
5,000 Spartans and 35,000 Helots. They march out with the ambassadors of
Athens, Megara ,and Plataea. The Spartan army is under the command of
Pausanias. In Athens, Mardonius is informed of this and decides to leave Attica
because his cavalry will be at a disadvantage. He decides to burn Athens to the
ground. Then he takes his army back to the Boeotian plains, specifically Thebes
where his cavalry have the advantage. Another reason is that if he lost in Attica,
he would be cornered and easily crushed. He learns that a thousand Spartans are
racing ahead to the city of Megara, the principle city on the east side of the
Corinthian Isthmus. The Persians divert their march and ravage the area. Then
they head due north towards Thebes via Plataea. They camp at the Asopus, just
north of Plataea at the foot of Mount Cithaeron. The Spartans meanwhile have
marched up towards Eleusis where the meet the Athenians. Then the whole army
of 110,000 march to Erythrae in Boeotia. There they learn of the Persian position
and march along the Cithaeron mountain range towards Plataea 9 miles away
where there is better water supplies at Mt Cithaeron. It is now at least about
August 15, 479 BC, and it is a hot time of year. The fighting to decide the future
of Greece is about to begin.
Battle of Plataea
August 27, 479 BC
Well now the fate of Greece lies in a truly national Greek army. It is the only time
in history where so many different Greeks fought side by side. The army of
110,000 greeks was well armed. 108,200 have weapons since 1,800 Thespians
are unarmed. To explain the way the Greek army was made up more thoroughly,
I'll quote directly from Herodotus.
"When this matter had been arranged, the Greek army, which was in part
composed of those who came at the first, in part of such as had flocked in from
day to day, drew up in the following order:- Ten thousand Lacedaemonian troops
held the right wing, five thousand of whom were Spartans; and these five
thousand were attended by a body of thirty-five thousand Helots, who were only
lightly armed - seven Helots to each Spartan. The place next to themselves the
Spartans gave to the Tegeans, on account of their courage and of the esteem in
which they held them. They were all fully armed, and numbered fifteen hundred
men. Next in order came the Corinthians, five thousand strong; and with them
Pausanias had placed, at their request, the band of three hundred which had come
from Potidaea in Pallene. The Arcadians of Orchomenus, in number six hundred,
came next; then the Sicyonians, three thousand; then the Epidaurians, eight
hundred; then the Troezenians, one thousand; then the Lepreats, two hundred; the
Mycenaeans and Tirynthians, four hundred; the Phliasians, one thousand; the
Hermionians, three hundred; the Eretrians and Styreans, six hundred; the
Chalcideans, four hundred; and the Ambraciots, five hundred. After these came
the Leucadians and Anactorians, who numbered eight hundred; the Paleans of
Cephallenia, two hundred; the Eginetans, five hundred; the Megarians, three
thousand; and the Plataeans, six hundred. Last of all, but first at their extremity of
the line, were the Athenians, who, to the number of eight thousand, occupied the
left wing, under the command of Aristides, the son of Lysimachus.
All these, except the Helots - seven of whom, as I said, attended each Spartan were heavy-armed troops; and they amounted to thirty-eight thousand seven
hundred men. This was the number of Hoplites, or heavy-armed soldiers, which
was together against the barbarian. The light-armed troops consisted of the thirtyfive thousand ranged with the Spartans, seven in attendance upon each, who were
all well equipped for war; and of thirty-four thousand five hundred others,
belonging to the Lacedaemonians and the rest of the Greeks, at the rate (nearly)
of one light to one heavy armed. Thus the entire number of the light-armed was
sixty-nine thousand five hundred.
The Greek army, therefore, which mustered at Plataea, counting light-armed as
well as heavy-armed, was but eighteen hundred men short of one hundred and ten
thousand; and this amount was exactly made up by the Thespians who were
present in the camp; for eighteen hundred Thespians, being the whole number
left, were likewise with the army; but these men were without arms. Such was the
array of the Greek troops when they took post on the Asopus."
For 8 days the Greek army gathers near Plataea. Like at Marathon, the two armies
stare each other down. The reason is that both leaders, Mardonius for the Persians
and Pausanias for the Greeks, are told by soothsayers from the same town, that
the army that is defensive initially, will win! So neither side makes a major move.
However Mardonius does attack the Greek supply train on Mt Cithaeron's "Three
Heads" pass successfully, but the Greeks aren't drawn into battle. Then, 3 days
later, out of nowhere, King Alexander of Macedonia, rides on horseback from the
Persian camp to the Athenian outposts. He delivers the message:
"Men of Athens, that which I am about to say I trust to your honour; and I charge
you to keep it secret from all excepting Pausanias, if you would not bring me to
destruction. Had I not greatly at heart the common welfare of Greece, I should
not have come to tell you; but I am myself a Greek by descent, and I would not
willingly see Greece exchange freedom for slavery. Know then that Mardonius
and his army cannot obtain favourable omens; had it not been for this, they would
have fought with you long ago. Now, however, they have determined to let the
victims pass unheeded, and, as soon as day dawns, to engage in battle.
Mardonius, I imagine, is afraid that, if he delays, you will increase in number.
Make ready then to receive him. Should he however still defer the combat, do
you abide where you are; for his provisions will not hold out many more days. If
ye prosper in this war, forget not to do something for my freedom; consider the
risk I have run, out of zeal for the Greek cause, to acquaint you with what
Mardonius intends, and to save you from being surprised by the barbarians. I am
Alexander of Macedon."
Basically it seems that Mardonius is running out of supplies. The Greeks switch
their wings so the Athenians are on the offensive wing. The Persians do the same
to keep the troops matched and then send a insult to the Spartans, saying that the
Athenians always save Greece. The Spartans don't react. At the end of the day,
the Persian cavalry charges at the Greeks at the fountain of Gargaphia. The
fountain is ruined and the Greeks have to pull back to the water sources of Mt.
Cithaeron, they do this in the dark so the Persians can't attack their column. When
they arrive they send half of the army to secure the supply lines which the
Persians have stopped. The Greeks don't mind pulling back because the Persian
cavalry is really annoying, also deadly. However one Spartan cohort commander,
Amompharetus, does not want to pull back. The Spartan commanders don't want
to leave a valuable cohort behind but must live up to their agreement with the
Greeks. The Spartan force heads off but when they are over 1 mile away, in the
dark, Amompharetus gets up and retreats.
On the morning of August 27, 479 BC, Mardonius learns that the Greeks have
abandoned their camp. Since the Spartans were the last to leave, he follows their
tracks. He thinks the whole Greek army is retreating and he's won the war. The
Greek army pulled back in two paths. The Athenians are behind the foothills of
Mt. Cithaeron and Mardonius can't see them. The Spartans had only just began to
get out of the area while the Athenians have marched all night. Then Mardonius
falls upon the Spartans. The whole Persian army charges in a disorderly manner.
The cavalry is the first to reach the Spartans. When this happens, Pausanias sends
this message to the Athenians:
"Men of Athens! now that the great struggle has come, which is to decide the
freedom or the slavery of Greece, we twain, Lacedaemonians and Athenians, are
deserted by all the other allies, who have fled away from us during the past night.
Nevertheless, we are resolved what to do - we must endeavour, as best we may,
to defend ourselves and to succour one another. Now, had the horse fallen upon
you first, we ourselves with the Tegeans (who remain faithful to the Greek cause)
would have been bound to render you assistance against them. As, however, the
entire body has advanced upon us, 'tis your place to come to our aid, sore pressed
as we are by the enemy. Should you yourselves be so straitened that you cannot
come, at least send us your archers, and be sure you will earn our gratitude. We
acknowledge that throughout this whole war there has been no zeal to be
compared to yours - we therefore doubt not that you will do us this service."
This is the Spartan way of begging for help! They know that this is it. However
the Athenians can't help much at the moment because they are at the opposite end
of the Greek army. So the 50,000 Spartans have to stand alone with 3000 Tegeans
against the whole Persian force. The Spartans make unsatisfactory sacrifices and
the delay causes many Spartan casualties. The Persians raise their shields and fire
"clouds of arrows" and Spartans fall continuously. Then when sacrifice is
satisfactory, the Tegeans charge at the enemy, followed immediatley by the
Spartans. The battle is fought beside the Temple of Ceres. The fighting is hand to
hand. Classic in every sense. But the Persians have a serious problem, many don't
have reliable body armor, the Spartans do. The fighting continues until
Mardonius is killed. He himself fights riding his white horse. His killer is
Aeimnestus, a famous Spartan war veteran. The Persians broke and fled for their
lives. The Persain commander Artabazus, with 40,000 men, leads his men away
when he sees the Persians fleeing. The fleeing Persian army heads back to there
camp across the Asopus. It is a heavily defended wooden camp. The Spartans
aren't skilled at sieges and cannot take the camp until the Athenians arrive. The
combined Greek army smashed against the wall. They got to the top of the wall
and broke a gap and the Greeks poured in. Obviously the Persians are scared to
death. The Greeks take only 3000 prisoners, the rest are slaughtered. How many
died is of somewhat doubt. Herodotus says 300,000 but I doubt it was more than
70,000. 91 Spartans die, one less than Athenians at Marathon, who lost 52 here at
the camp. Some Greek states; the Mantineans, and the Eleans arrive too late for
battle. It is suggested that the body of Mardonius be beheaded and crucified like
King Leonidas was at Thermopylae. The Spartans don't do this because they don't
want to sink to the Persian's level. Then the booty was collected and divided
among the gods, temples and the soldiers. Much treasure was buried. They day
after the Greeks bury their dead. The Persians are buried in a mass grave. So
ended the battle of Plataea. The Greeks then march off to Thebes to capture the
pro-persian leaders who are there. They lay siege to the city for 21 days. The men
are surrendered but one escapes. They are taken to Corinth and executed.
Meanwhile the Persian Artabazus, is marching through Thrace and is not doing
well. The Thracians are killing his starving men. Eventually he makes it to
Byzantium and sails to Asia.
This was a great victory for Greece. The battle is considered indecisive by many
and I don't agree. I think this was a greatly important battle. Greece was now safe.
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Herhaling Peloponnesus
Bondgenootschappen
Verhaal van de Lange Muren
Pericles(c. 495 BC - 429 BC) was an influential and important leader of Athens
during the Athenian Golden Age (specifically, between the Persian and
Peloponnesian wars). The period from 461 BC to 379 BC is sometimes known as
"The Age of Pericles". He was responsible for a great many building projects
which include most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis (including the
Parthenon). He also persuaded the city to build the Long Walls that protected the
four-mile route to Peiraeus, the port for Athens. Of particular importance to us, is
the fact that he fostered the power of democracy which was at that time
considered to be a very radical idea.
Pericles started his political career at an early age. At first, however, he restrained
his ambitions because he was fearful that due to his social standing, he would be
considered to be a tyrant or even dangerous. To get around this problem, he
promoted the interests of the 'demos' -- the most numerous class of middle and
low income citizens -- so as to avoid their suspicion.
Kimon was a political rival of Pericles for many years. Kimon was a wealthy man
who gained favor with the people by spending his own money on feeding,
clothing and caring for those Athenians who needed assistance. To counter
Kimon, Pericles spent public money in building projects. Pericles even was
eventually able to have Kimon ostracized and banished from the city for a period
of time. However, before his period of exile was up, Kimon returned to lead
Athenians in a battle against Sparta. Unfortunately, some friends of Pericles had
Kimon sent away and the battle went badly for the Athenians. At that point
Pericles was able to look past his own ambitions, and recalled Kimon so that
Athens might be victorious.
Pericles then set about strengthening Athens and improving the infrastructure.
However, during his forty year predominance, he was cautious and did not take
on opponents without first weighing his options and measuring his potential
losses.
Pericles is often referred to as the founder of democracy in Athens. However,
recent critical studies have cast doubt on this and describe the formation of
democracy as a slow process. The credit for creating the first democracy on earth
goes to social, political and economical circumstances which one man alone
could not possibly influence.
Pericles began to fall out of favor in Athens while still being able to maintain
power. The Spartans attacked and he ordered that Athens should prepare for a
siege. Unfortunately, during the siege, a plague spread through Athens and its
allies, but not to its enemies, killing many, including Pericles himself and most of
his family. However, after Pericles lost his last Athenian son, the Athenians
allowed a change in the law that made Pericles' non-Athenian son a citizen and
legitimate heir.
Unfortunately the information we have about Pericles is highly distorted by
centuries of legends and myth. The biography most people rely on is written by
Plutarch, who lived about 500 years after Pericles. Plutarch was more interested
in studying the character of men than in writing history. Pericles is also featured
in Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War, which includes accounts of
several of Pericles' speeches.
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Lange muren
Piraeus
Totale verwoesting van Attica door Spartanen
Enkele veldslagen
Verwoestende gevolgen voor Attische bevolking. Uiteindelijk alleen
maar Griekse verliezers, Macedoniërs zullen rol overnemen.