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The Ionian revolt provoked the Greeks and the Persians to start what is known as the
Persian Wars. With the large pockets of Ionians living in Persia getting more and more
discontent, a revolt was imminent. The first thing the revolting Ionians set out to do was
to rid the Ionian cities of tyrants and set up democracies in their place. The Ionians were
not alone, the Athenians sent 20 ships and the small city of Eretria managed to send 5
ships to aid the Ionians. In 498 BC, Sardis, the headquarters of the Persian satraps, was
attacked. An accidental fire broke out and the city was destroyed. The Ionians suffered a
defeat while retreating from the burning city of Sardis. They fought with a Persian force
at Ephesus and were defeated. When news filtered back to the Persian king Darius of the
Athenians actions, he was enraged. He told a servant to repeat the words "remember the
Athenians" three times a day. With the revolt now widespread throughout Ionia, many
cities gained freedom from Persia. The revolt ended in the siege of Miletus in 494. The
Persian Fleet of around 600 ships had blockaded the city. The Greek fleet only had
around half the number of ships as the Persians, and the ensuing battle had disastrous
results for the Greeks. With Lesbos and Samos medising and joining the Persians, the
Persians had a comfortable victory and later ransacked the city of Miletus.
Its is generally believed that the Persians' reason for attacking Greece in 490 BC was to
gain revenge on Athens and Eretria for the role they played in the Ionian revolution. The
Persians easily conquered smaller states such as Boeotia and Thessaly, while in Sparta
and Athens, the envoys sent by the Persians were killed, this would only further enrage
the Persians. The Persians landed at a quiet bay, some 42 kilometres away from Athens.
It is thought that the Persians planned to lure the Athenians away from Athens, and
therefore make the conquest of Athens much easier. The Athenians set up camp in the
foothills at Agriliki, blocking the way to Athens for the Persians. The Persians took up
position on the plain of marathon, on the bank of the river Charadnos. No fighting took
place for a few days, it is thought that this was because of the Persians waiting for
Hippias to sabotage the Athenians' plans or that it was caused by the Athenians stalling
and waiting for the mighty Spartans to arrive. The Persians became worried about the
imminent arrival of the Spartans and decided to send troops by ship to Phaleron bay to try
and take over Athens before the Athenians could march back form Marathon. Ionian
spies informed the leader of the Athenians, Miltiades, of the Persians departure. Miltiades
decided to attack the Persians, in the hope that the lack of the cavalry would bolster the
Athenians chances of victory. Even with the lack of the cavalry, the Athenians were still
outnumbered almost 3:1.
The Athenians only hope was a cunning plan to weaken the centre of their line to match
the length of the Persian line, and therefore making it possible to surround the Persians.
This plan worked and after a long and drawn out battle the Athenians were victorious.
The Athenians then set out to march back to Athens to fight the Persians. When the
Persian fleet arrived at Athens the Athenian soldiers had already made it back, and were
waiting for the Persians.
In 480 BC, Athenian spies returned from Persia to tell of Xerxes building a massive
army. The Hellenic league estimated that they could send around 110,000 troops to battle
the 500,000 Persians. The Greeks realised that their only hope was to try to cut off the
Persian supply lines and to fight in narrow spaces, which would lessen the Persians
chances of victory. The Greeks decided send troops to guard the pass of Thermopylae,
and to send the fleet to nearby Artemisium. At Artemisium, the first few days of battle
proved indecisive, but a severe storm caused many Persian ships to be wrecked.
Meanwhile at Thermopylae, a Greek traitor had told the Persians of a track across the
mountains that would allow the Persians to attack the Greeks from behind. The Greeks
stood no chance even with the help of 300 Spartans. The Persians took an easy victory
after the final stand by the Greeks in which all the Spartans died. After hearing news of
this disaster, the Greek ships at Artemisium withdrew.
The Persian troops now marched south towards Athens. The Greek ships that had
retreated from Artemisium, lay anchored of Salamis, while a council of war was held to
decide where the best place to fight the Persians would be. Most of the council was in
favour of moving the fleet and defending the Isthmus, but Themistocles convinced the
council that it would be best to take on the Persians in the straits of Salamis. It is said by
Herodotus, that while the Peloponnesians were still arguing about where the battle should
take place, Themistocles sent a servant to the Persians saying that once night time came,
the Hellenes would row for their lives and not stay to fight the Persians. Xerxes perhaps
somewhat foolishly believed this. The Persians were led into the strait by the
Phoenicians, as the ships entered the strait there was much disorder as the ships leading
the way had to make room for the ships coming from behind to enter the straits. The
hiding Greeks waited for a south wind to stir up a heavy swell that would vastly affect the
high-decked Persian ships and hardly affect the lower Athenian vessels. The Greeks then
entered the strait and the Persians found themselves surrounded. The Persians attempts to
escape did more harm that good often resulting in one Persian ship ramming another.
The fighting lasted all day and the Persians suffered heavy losses, until a west wind
allowed the Persians to get away and sail down the coast of Attica. The number of
Persian casualties was not helped by the fact that almost all of the Persian sailors couldn't
swim.
Had the battle of Salamis been won by the Persians, there may have been a totally
different outcome at Plataea. This is made evident by Thucydides who, when talking
about the battle of Salamis says, "It was this battle that prevented the Persians from
sailing against the Peloponnese and destroying all the cities one by one; for no system of
mutual defence could have been organised in face of the Persian naval superiority. The
best proof of this is in the conduct of the Persians themselves. Once they had lost the
battle at sea, they realised that their force was crippled and they immediately withdrew
most of their army". This however did not assure total victory for the Persians, but it
ended once and for all, Persian naval aggression, and with it the strategy of combined
land and sea operations.
Victory for the Athenians also cut off the Persians supply lines, this was an important
factor in the Athenian victory at Plataea. As well as cutting off supply lines, victory for
the Athenians at Salamis made Xerxes worry about the Ionians revolting, and led him to
sent valuable ships and soldiers back to his homeland to quell any Ionian resistance
against the Persians. The Athenians followed the Persians to the island of Andros, as well
as seeing that the Persians did not try to return, the Athenians set out to punish Andros for
aiding the Persians. With winter approaching, the Persians, whose ships had largely been
destroyed at Salamis, were stranded in Greece with little food.
After the battle of Salamis, Mardonius moved into Thessaly for the winter. From here he
tried to make diplomatic moves to make Athens leave the Greek league and join the
Persians. The Athenians were even offered gold to rebuild Athens if they joined the
Persians. After Athens refusal to join the Persians, Mardonius sent troops to once again
destroy Athens. The Athenians once again evacuated to Salamis. Angry at the lack of
help arriving from the Peloponnese, the Athenians threatened to join the Persians, but
were told that an army of troops was on its way. On hearing this news, Mardonius left
Athens after destroying as much of it as he could. He then moved into Boeotia. The
Peloponnese troops marched past the Isthmus and advanced to Eleusis where the
Athenians who had crossed to the mainland from Salamis joined them. When the Greek
force arrived at Erythrae in Boeotia, they learnt of the Persians position on the Asopus
and then decided to set up camp on the lower slopes of Mt. Cithaeron.
Pausanius moved his troops down from the foothills and took up a position closer to
Plataea, where he had better access to water. Neither side wanted to move first, and
although Greek reinforcements continued to arrive, they still had to contend with a lack
of supplies. This was made worse when the Persians intercepted a supply convoy of 500
mules carrying food for the Greeks. In a stealthy Persian attack, the Greek water supply
was poisoned, without it, they were in desperate need of water. Pausanius decided to
withdraw to the foothills closer to Plataea. The Spartans were not too happy about this as
it was against their code of honour to withdraw or retreat. The Greeks were to position
themselves on a piece of land called "the Island". This would give them more protection
from the Persians and greater access to water and supplies When Mardonius woke and
saw that the Greeks had moved he ordered his whole army to attack. The Persians set up
a barrier with their shields and from the safety of it fired great numbers of arrows at the
Spartans. When it seemed as if the Spartans were facing defeat, the Teagans led an attack
on the Persians, who stopped shooting arrows and prepared to fight the enemy face to
face. There was a hard and drawn out battle, in which the Persian soldiers showed as
much courage as their Spartan enemies. At this point the Persian allies from Greece, the
Thebans and the Boeotians, cut off the Athenians, only to lose over 300 of their best
soldiers before retreating when realising that the Persians were being defeated by the
Peloponnesians. While Mardonius was alive, the Persians fought hard, but when he was
killed, the remainder of the Persians fled from the scene of the battle to the Persian
palisade. When the Athenians and the Peloponnesians reached the palisade, a great
slaughter took place and many Persians were killed.
If the Persians had won the battle of Plataea, the consequences for the Greeks would have
been enormous. The Persians would have only had to fight a weakened Greek defence at
the isthmus, and when they broke though that, the revolting helots would have aided them
in taking control of Sparta. It is said by Plutarch that "the battle of Plataea was one in
which the Greeks stood in danger of losing everything". N.G.L. Hammond says in "A
History of Greece", "the fate of Greece was to be decided on the mainland". This makes
clear which battle he thought was the most decisive. There are also people who think that
the two battles were of equal importance. This can be seen when Bury says, "The battle
of Plataea shares with Salamis the dignity of being decisive battles in the worlds history".
Personally, I would have to agree with the likes of Carl Roebuck when he says, "Victory
at salamis was the turning point of the war, It gave the Greeks control of the Aegean,
threatened Xerxes lines of communication, and raised the possibility of revolt in Ionia".
In my opinion the battle of Salamis was the most crucial of the battles although nothing
can be taken away from the importance of the battle of Plataea.
Keywords:
ionian revolt provoked greeks persians start what known persian wars with large pockets
ionians living persia getting more more discontent revolt imminent first thing revolting
ionians ionian cities tyrants democracies their place ionians were alone athenians sent
ships small city eretria managed send ships sardis headquarters persian satraps attacked
accidental fire broke city destroyed suffered defeat while retreating from burning city
sardis they fought with persian force ephesus were defeated when news filtered back king
darius athenians actions enraged told servant repeat words remember athenians three
times with revolt widespread throughout ionia many cities gained freedom from persia
ended siege miletus fleet around ships blockaded greek fleet only around half number
persians ensuing battle disastrous results greeks lesbos samos medising joining persians
comfortable victory later ransacked miletus generally believed that reason attacking
greece gain revenge athens eretria role they played ionian revolution easily conquered
smaller states such boeotia thessaly while sparta athens envoys sent were killed this
would only further enrage landed quiet some kilometres away from athens thought that
planned lure away therefore make conquest much easier camp foothills agriliki blocking
took position plain marathon bank river charadnos fighting took place days thought that
this because waiting hippias sabotage plans caused stalling waiting mighty spartans arrive
became worried about imminent arrival spartans decided send troops ship phaleron take
over before could march back form marathon spies informed leader miltiades departure
miltiades decided attack hope lack cavalry would bolster chances victory even lack
cavalry still outnumbered almost only hope cunning plan weaken centre their line match
length line therefore making possible surround this plan worked after long drawn battle
victorious then march back fight when fleet arrived athenian soldiers already made
waiting athenian spies returned persia tell xerxes building massive army hellenic league
estimated they could send around troops battle greeks realised their hope supply lines
fight narrow spaces which would lessen chances victory decided troops guard pass
thermopylae nearby artemisium artemisium first days proved indecisive severe storm
caused many wrecked meanwhile thermopylae greek traitor told track across mountains
allow attack behind stood chance even help spartans took easy after final stand which
died after hearing news disaster greek artemisium withdrew marched south towards
retreated anchored salamis while council held decide where best place fight most council
favour moving defending isthmus themistocles convinced council best take straits salamis
said herodotus peloponnesians still arguing about where should take themistocles sent
servant saying once night time came hellenes lives stay xerxes perhaps somewhat
foolishly believed into strait phoenicians entered strait there much disorder leading make
room coming behind enter straits hiding waited south wind stir heavy swell vastly affect
high decked hardly affect lower athenian vessels then entered strait found themselves
surrounded attempts escape more harm good often resulting ship ramming another
fighting lasted suffered heavy losses until west wind allowed away sail down coast attica
number casualties helped fact almost sailors couldn swim salamis been there have been
totally different outcome plataea made evident thucydides when talking about says
prevented sailing against peloponnese destroying cities system mutual defence could
have been organised face naval superiority best proof conduct themselves once lost
realised force crippled immediately withdrew most army however assure total ended once
naval aggression strategy combined land operations also supply lines important factor
plataea well cutting supply lines made xerxes worry revolting valuable soldiers homeland
quell resistance against followed island andros well seeing return punish andros aiding
winter approaching whose largely destroyed stranded greece little food mardonius moved
into thessaly winter here tried make diplomatic moves leave league join even offered
gold rebuild joined refusal join mardonius again destroy again evacuated angry lack help
arriving peloponnese threatened join told army hearing news mardonius left destroying
much then moved into boeotia peloponnese marched past isthmus advanced eleusis
where crossed mainland joined them force arrived erythrae boeotia learnt position asopus
camp lower slopes cithaeron pausanius moved down foothills position closer plataea
better access water neither side wanted move first although reinforcements continued
arrive still contend supplies worse intercepted convoy mules carrying food stealthy attack
water poisoned without desperate need water pausanius withdraw foothills closer happy
against code honour withdraw retreat themselves piece land called island give them
protection greater access supplies woke ordered whole barrier shields safety fired great
numbers arrows seemed facing defeat teagans stopped shooting arrows prepared enemy
face face there hard drawn which soldiers showed courage spartan enemies point allies
greece thebans boeotians lose over before retreating realising being defeated
peloponnesians alive fought hard killed remainder fled scene palisade peloponnesians
reached palisade great slaughter many killed consequences have enormous weakened
defence isthmus broke though revolting helots aided them taking control sparta said
plutarch stood danger losing everything hammond says history fate mainland makes clear
thought most decisive also people think battles equal importance seen bury says shares
dignity being decisive battles worlds history personally agree likes carl roebuck turning
point gave control aegean threatened communication raised possibility ionia opinion
crucial battles although nothing taken importance
Keywords General:
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