Week 7: The Persians Wars Lecture12,Marathon, KeyWords Aryans Media Babylonia Lydia Persia Cyrus Achaemenid Armenia Syria Cappadocia Croesus Cambyses Egypt India Sudan PersianGulf Darius Samos Polycrates Scythia Macedon Miltiades Danube EarthandWater Boeotia Chalcis Corinth Demaratus Cleruchs Aegina IonianRebellion Aristagoras Miletus Naxos Sardis Eretria Lade Hipparchusarchon496/5 Phrynichus Chersonnesus Piraeus Themistocles 1 Mardonias Thrace Mt.Athos Rapprochement Datis Artaphernes Delos Carystus Pheidippides Pan Carneia Arête Beachhead Cavalry Archers Plataeans Herakleion Marshes Charadra Soros Cynosura Phaleron Dromoi Grundy StoaPoikile Aeschylus Hastings SpanishArmada NevilleChamberlain BertrandRussell Churchill Marlborough Holocaust Sophocles Euripides Aristophanes Socrates Plato Aristotle Phidias Parthenon Pericles ScientificRevolution WesternCivilization Marathonomachoi 2 Chronological Table for Persian History and the Persian Wars 2000-1000 Indo-Iranians migratefromtheEurasianplainsofsouthRussia,acrosstheCaucasus Mountainsandintoupper-Mesopotamia;othersmoveeastoftheCaspianSeaandintotheIndus rivervalley(foundersoftheAryanSanskritcivilization). 1150-1000PhrygiansmigratefromtheBalkansintocentralAnatolia;spreadofirontechnology: earlyIron Age(1150-550). 950PhrygiankingsestablishcapitalatGordiumanduniteAnatolianplateau. 900-612AssyriadominatestheNearEast. 844AssyrianrecordsrefertotheIraniantribes,thePersians. 836AssyrianrecordsmentiontheMedes. 705-690PhrygianpowershatteredbyCimmerians (IranianorThraciannomads,whosweptover AsiaMinorandSyriaattheendofthe8th /early7thcentury); Lydiabecomesindependentof Phrygia. 700-675MedescoalesceintoaunitedkingdomundertheinitiativeoftheMedeDeioces(Hdt. 1.96-106);organizationfallstoDeioces’successors,PhraortesandCyaxares;Ecbatanabecomes thecapital. 680GygesoverthrowstheLydianCandaules (Hdt.1.8-14;cf.Pl.Resp.2.359d)andbecomesthe firstkingoftheMermnaddynasty. 680-645Gygesrules Lydia;setsthepatternoftryingtocontroltheGreekcitiesofthecoastfor tributeandaccesstothesea;failsinattacksMiletusandSmyrna;captures Colophonand becomesthefirstforeignerafterthePhrygiankingMidastosendgiftstoDelphi. 650Lydiansmintthefirstelectrumcoins. 639AssyriansdestroythekingdomofElamandreducethePersianstosubjectstatus. 614MedesmarchagainstAssyriaanddestroythereligiouscapitalAssur;Cyaxaresmakesan alliancewiththeneo-Babyloniankingdom,sealedbymarriageofaMedianprincessto Nebuchadnezzar,forwhomhebuildsthe“HangingGardens”. 612theMedes,aidedbytheBabylonians, captureanddestroytheAssyrian capitalNineveh; followingthefallofAssyriaabalanceofpowerexistsamongthefourchiefnationsofthearea: Egypt,theneo-Babyloniankingdom,thekingdomoftheMedesandthat oftheLydians;the Persians,nowunderthesuzeraintyoftheMedes,incorporatetheoldkingdomofElam. 610-560Alyatteskingof LydiasubjectstheGreek citiesofAsiaMinorexceptMiletus. 586NebuchadnezzardestroysJerusalemandleadstheJewsintotheBabyloniancaptivity. 585ThalesofMiletuspredictsaneclipseofthesun,whichendsabattleinCappadociabetween theMedesledbyCyaxaresandtheLydiansunderAlyattes;theHalysRiverestablishedasthe boundarybetween LydiaandMedia. 560-546Croesus,thelast andmostfamous Lydian king,succeedsAlyattes;takesEphesusbut treatstempleofArtemiswithgreatrespect;subduestherestofthe Ionian, AeolianandDorian citiesofAsiaMinorand compelsthemtopaytribute; Lydia(Miletusspared)achievesits greatestprosperityandwidestterritorialexpansion,subjectsallpeopleswestoftheHalysRiver excepttheCiliciansandLycians(Hdt.1.28). 559-530KingCyrusofPersiaestablishestheAchaemenid(Persian)Empire. 550/49Cyrusoverthrows Astyages,theMedianking,andbecomes ruleroftheMediankingdom; changeindynasty,ratherthanformationofnew,destructionofoldkingdom,sinceMedesand Persianssocloselyrelated;CroesustoldbyApolloatDelphithatifhemarchesagainstPersia,he willdestroyagreat empire. 3 546CyrusdefeatsCroesusatSardis(Hdt.1.46-85);conquers Lydia andthe Ioniancities; subjugatestheCariansand Lycians;honorsnative customsandreligiousbeliefs. 539Cyrusconquers Babyloniaandtheneo-Babylonianempire. 530CyruskilledinacampaignagainsttheMassagetai. 530-522CambysesisKingofPersia. 525Cambyses conquers Egypt; Ionian andAeolianGreeks fightunderPersians;Greeksand Cariansserve asmercenariesinEgyptian army. 522DariusbecomesKingofPersiafollowingdeathofCambyses;establishescustomthat kingshipistheprerogativeoftheAchaemenid family; reorganizestheempire,dividingitinto20 ormoresatrapies; Lydiansand IoniansassignedtoasatrapinSardis,GreeksintheHellespont andPropontissubjecttothesatrapinDascylium;Greeks citiesruledbytyrantsfavorableto Persia,freeofsatrapalinterferenceifmeetrequirementsoftributeandmilitaryservice;King’s Lawbasedonthefamous codeofHammurabiwhichhaddominatedlegalprocedureinBabylon andelsewheresincetheeighteenth century;inauguratesthefirstPersian coinage,the goldDaric. Polycrates,tyrantofSamosdies. 516Hippiasdispatches MiltiadestocontrolChersonesepeninsula. 513DariuscrossestoEuropeforScythian expedition;forcesincludeMiltiades,tyrantofthe ThracianChersonese;HistiaeusofMiletusopposesplantobreakupbridge ofboats;Darius leavesMegabazuswithalargeforce (80,000)as commanderinEurope,whosubduesPerinthus andthenThrace;appointsArtaphernessatrapheadquarteredatSusa. 506AeginetansmakevariousraidsonPhaleronandotherAtticmaritimecommunitiesinthe “unheraldedwar”(Hdt.5.80-89);AtheniansappealtoSpartankingCleomenesforhelp. (?)501Spartans attempt to restore Hippias as tyrant in Athens; accordingto Herodotus (5.90-96), theCorinthiansblocktheproposalinameetingof thePeloponnesian League(theearliestextant referencetotheleague); AtheniansrefusethePersiandemandtorestoreHippias. 500Naxosinastateofinternalstrife(stasis),inwhichthedemos seizespowerandthe aristocratsfleetoMiletuswheretheyareonfriendlytermswiththetyrant Histiaeus;with HistiaeusinSusawithDarius,the governorAristagorasenliststhesupportofArtaphernes,the PersiansatrapinSardis,toconquerNaxos,CycladesandEuboea;hisforce of200shipsfailsto takeNaxosafter afourmonthsiege. 499IonianRevolt fomentedbyAristagoras,who advocatesthe establishmentofdemocratic institutions(isonomia)throughoutthe easternGreekcities;CleomenesofSpartaturnsdown Aristagoras’ appealforanalliance,buttheAthenianassemblyagreestosendtwentyshipsto helpthe Ioniansandthe Eretrianssend anadditionalfiveships(Herodotusin5.97remarksthat “theseshipswerethebeginningofevilsbothforHellenesand Barbarians”). 498thesquadronoftwenty-fiveshipsfromAthensandEretriasetssailfor Miletus,burnsSardis byaccident,includingthetempleofthenative goddessCybele,andisdefeatedatEphesusbythe Persians;theAthenianssailhome. 497/6CyprusandCaria broughtbackintoPersiancontrol. 496Aristagoras,havingfledtoMyrcinusontheStrymon,iskilledfightingThracians;Miltiades returnstotheChersonese andcapturestheislands of Lemnosand Imbros, whicharelater colonizedbypoorAthenians. 496/5Hipparchus,sonof Charmos,friendtoPeisistratusandPersia,electedarchon;Cleisthenes hadhiminmindwhenheproposedOstracism(Aristotle,A.P.,22);signifies ascendancyofpeace factioninAthens. 4 494Battleof Lade;PersiansbesiegeMiletusbylandandsea, confronted byIonian fleetof350 ships(majorityofshipsfromChios,Miletus,LesbosandSamos);treacheryoflargesectionsof theSamianand LesbianshipsleadstoPersianvictory;SpartaunderCleomenesdefeatsArgosin theBattleofSpea; greatlystrengthensSparta’s controloverthePeloponnesian Leagueand stabilizestheleague’sorganization. 493Miletustakenbystorm;templewithoracleof ApolloatDidymaplunderedandburned;city notdestroyedbyprosperityends;spring:PersianfleettakesislandsofChios, Lesbos,Tenedos and Ioniantownsonthemainland;summer:Phoenicianfleet,campaigningintheHellespont, reestablishesPersian controlovertheEuropeancoastoftheHellespont,thePropontisand Bosporusareas,whichhadjoinedtherevolt;MiltiadesfleesChersonese,escapesPhoenicians andarrivesinAthens;aftercrushingtherevolt,PersianscompeltheIonian citiestomaketreaties withoneanotherand reassesstheirtribute;Phrynichusfinedforhisplay, CaptureofMiletus; MiltiadesandThemistoclesbecomeprominentinAthens. 493/2Themistocleselectedeponymousarchon. 492Mardonius,brother-in-lawofDarius,appointedgeneral, establishesdemocraciesin Ionian citiesinplaceofformertyrannies;setsoutonland andseacampaign;recoversThrace,which hadbrokenfromPersiaduringthe Ionianrevolt; MacedoniaonceagainrecognizestheGreat Kingasoverlord;thewreckofmanyshipsinaviolentstormasPersianfleettriestoroundMt. Athosnecessitatesreturn toAsia;however,ThraceandMacedoniaundercontrol;Persian suzeraintyextendstothenorthernborderofThessaly,themostnortherlyGreekstates. 492/1Miltiadesputontrialforhavingruled asatyrantintheChersonese. 491AthensappealstoSpartaoversuspectedmedism ofAegina;CleomenesforcesAegina,a Peloponnesianally,tofurnishhostagestorivalAthens. 490DariusdeterminedtopunishAthensandEretriaforaidingtheIonianrevoltandtake vengeancefortheburningofSardis(“Remember theAthenians!”);summer:Persianexpedition setsoutfromCiliciainsouthernAsiaMinorunderDatisandArtaphernes withorderstoenslave AthensandEretria;PersianstakecityofNaxosandburntemple;Delossparedandhonored, otherislandsforcedtogivetroopsandhostages;armadasailstoEuboea, forcesCarystusto capitulateandproceedstoEretria;Athensorders 4,000Atheniancleruchs toEretria,butreturn homeonsuggestionofEretrians;PersianspillageandburntemplesinEretriainrevengefor templesatSardisandenslavepopulation;arrivewithHippiasatnorthernendofplainof Marathon(areaofstrongPeisistratidinfluence);AthenssendsPheidippidestoSpartaforhelp, whocovers140milesin oneday;Spartanscannot sendforcestillafterthefullmoon;Plato (Laws,3.692,698)mentionsdifficultiescausedbyaMessenianwardelayedSpartanarrivalat Marathon;MiltiadespassesmotiontomeetPersianswherevertheyland;Atheniansgoto Marathon,joinedby600 Plataeans;polemarchCallimachusfollowsbattlestrategyofMiltiades; Persiansdefeated:6400 Persiandead,192Atheniandead,includingCallimachusandAeschylus’ brother;possibleshieldsignalflashedtoalertSpartanfleet(Alcmaeonids?);Atheniansrushback toAthenstopreventlandingofPersianfleet;DatisreturnstoAsia;sendsEretrianprisonersto Susa;2,000SpartansarriveatMarathononthirdday;inspectPersiandead andcongratulate Athenians. 489Miltiadesundertakes expeditiontoforcetheAegeanislandstorenouncetheirallegianceto theGreatKing;despiteinitialsuccesses,injuredandfailsatParos;triedbyXanthippusfor deceivingthepeople;finedfiftytalents;Miltiadesdiesofwound;sonCimonpays father’sfine. Cleomenesfirstfleesto Thessaly, andthenattemptstoorganizetheArcadiansandhelotsagainst Sparta,possiblyseekingtooverthrowSpartanoligarchy;invitedbacktoSpartawherehedies; 5 Spartans send Leotychides withAeginetanenvoys toAthens forthe10Aeginetanhostages; Athens refuses; Aegina captures anumberofleadingAthenians; warbetweenAthens and Aeginaresults. 488/7Hipparchus ostracizedandcondemnedtodeath inabsentia. 487/6Megacles theAlcmaeonidostracized; friendofthetyrants (Aristotle,A.P. 22). 486Egypt revolts from Persia; Darius dies after36 yearreign; Xerxes becomes King. 485Xerxes suppresses Egyptianrevolt inperson, removes Egypt’s special privileges andreduces it tosatrapystatus; AleuadaeofThessalysendenvoys toSusaurgingXerxes toinvadeGreece (Hdt.7.6). 485/4Xanthippus is ostracized. 483-480Xerxes prepares toinvadeGreece: undertakes athree-yearproject todigacanal through theisthmus oftheAthos promontory,puts bridge overStrymonRiver andfooddeposits forroute throughThrace,andbuilds adoublebridgeofboats across theHellespont from Abydos onAsia Minorcoast toSestos ontheEuropeanside (destroyedbyviolent storm). 483/2Athenians discover anunusuallyrichveinof silverinthesilvermines ofthe Laurium regionintheSunium promontorywithprofits of100talents a yeartothestate; insteadof distributing10drachmatoeach citizen,Themistocles passes adecreetobuildalargefleet of triremes forthe war withAegina,but was awareof Persianpreparations and theirconstructionof acanal throughtheAthos promontory; 100ofthe richest meninAthens maderesponsiblefor buildingandequippingonetrireme(first referencetowhat becomes thetrierarchicsystem; timberfrom MacedonwhereAlexanderwas proxenosofAthens; Athenians have200triremes in 480followingthree-year buildingprogram. 482Aristides, whowantedtoconcentrateonhoplites overnaval power,is ostracized; Babylon revolts from Persiaandis subdued; mergedwithAssyria as asatrapy. Persian War 481spring:Xerxes, havingassembledarmycontingents inCappadociaandhavingsent heralds toall states except Athens andSpartafor earthandwater,proceeds toSusa. Fall:Greeks holdaconference at Sparta; endquarrels andstopfighting(e.g.,warbetween Athens andAeginaceases); createtheHellenic LeaguewithSpartaas hegemon; first unionof Greekstates sincethemythical times oftheTrojan war; Spartapresides overmeetings, whichare usuallyheldat Corinth,andhas supreme commandoverbothlandandsea forces; 31Greek states agreetofight tothedeathtopreserve Greek liberty; send envoys to Argos, Corcyra,Crete andSyracuse; Argos and Creteremainneutral as Delphi advises; Syracuserefuses alliance. March 480Xerxes sets out from Sardis; heads for Abydos wherehis fleet is gathering; joins withfleet at mouthofHebrus; probably200,000troops from 46nations; Herodotus claims that thecrews andmarines of the1207triremes andthe3000penteconters with theinfantryand cavalrynumbered2,641,610. April: Congress ofHellenic League at Corinthtodeterminewheretomeet Persians; decideto send10,000hoplites toTempetostopXerxes. 10May: Xerxes crosses theHellespont. May480Hellenicis forceinTempe. Mid-June: Xerxes’preparations arecomplete. 6 LateJune: Hellenic League abandons TempewheninformedbyAlexanderofMacedoniathat theirpositioncouldbeturnedbyPersians; Thessalians andtheir perioikoi medizewhenXerxes enters Macedonia. June480(?) Inneedof anewplan, after withdrawal from Tempe,theGreeks consult Delphi: first Delphicoracle(Hdt 140): “Wretches, whysit yehere? Fly; flytotheends oftheearth...; prominent Delphianurges HellenicleaguetoapproachApolloasecondtime,this timeas suppliants: secondDelphicoracle (Hdt.141): “Safeshall thewooden wall continuefortheeand thychildren.... OdivineSalamis, but thoushalt destroythechildrenofwomen.” Athenians debatewhetherthe “woodenwall”indicates theacropolis oralludes tothe ships; Themistocles persuades assemblytotrust inships andthat by“divine”Apolloindicates victoryat Salamis. Hellenic Leaguedecides toholdthenarrowpass at Thermopylaeandtosendthefleet to Artemesium; landandseaforces can cooperatein stoppingtheadvanceof Xerxes, whose strategydependon close communicationbetween landandnaval forces. (?)OathofPlataea: Hellenic Leagueswears to“tithe”tothe godat Delphi all willingmedizers andnot torebuildasingleoneoftheshrines thebarbarians haveburnedandrazed. 24July: Xerxes arrives at ThermainMacedonia; armymarches out threedays aheadofthefleet. LateJuly/earlyAugust: Greek fleet of271ships (147Athenian)stationed at Artemesium, Eurybiades heldchiefcommand,but Themistocles predominant influence; Leonidas puts his advanceforceof4,000hoplites (6,000-7,000?),including300Spartiates, in positionat Thermopylae; reinforcement tocome,ifnavyis successful. 12August: Themistocles makes contact withthe Persiannavy; withdraws fleet toChalcis. 13August: three-daystorm wrecks onethirdofXerxes’fleet (400ships?)offcoast ofMagnesia. 16-17August: Xerxes sends detachment of200ships aroundEuboeatoencircleGreekfleet. 17August: diverScyllias warns Greeks ofPersiantrap. 7 18August: Themistocles engages Persianfleet in minorskirmish; earlierthesameday,Xerxes, havingdelayed3days, launches frontal assault onLeonidas’positionat Thermopylae; storm completelydestroys Xerxes’fleet aroundEuboea. 19August: 53reserveships sail northfrom Athens andinform Themistocles ofthefateofthe Xerxes fleet sailingroundEuboea; Xerxes makes secondassault onThermopylae; Malian Ephialtes mentions AnopaeapathtoXerxes, who sends Hydarnes downpathnearAlpeni with 10,000“Immortals”toattack Leonidas from rear; onlyThebans andThespians remainwith Leonidas, whose armywas reducedtoabout 2000 men. 20August: BattleatArtemesiumand Thermopylae; Leonidas andSpartanarmyannihilated (Hdt.228): “Go,stranger,andto Lacedaemontell that here,obeyingherbehests, wefell.” Fleet withdraws southafterindecisiveengagement with Persianfleet andnews about Thermopylae; Greekships put inat Salamis; Peloponnesians fortifyingIsthmus; Athenians evacuatewomen andchildrentoTroezen,oldmenandpossessions toSalamis. 23August: Xerxes moves southwitharmy, devastates Phocis anddestroys ThespiaeandPlataea fortheirloyaltytotheGreekcause. 26August: Persianfleet sets out andreaches Phaleron; Persians burn andloot Attica,now abandoned except forthosefewonthe acropolis; Greek fleet of378ships(180Athenian)at Salamis; Peloponnesians anxious toretireto Isthmus andwall beingbuilt; Themistocles, with support ofAegina andMegara,threatens tosail withAthenians to Italy,ifPeloponnesians withdraw(Hdt.8.56-96). 8 20September:Battleat Salamis; Themistocles sends slaveSicinnus withmessagetoXerxes, trickingtheGreat Kingintofightinginthenarrows between AtticaandSalamis; stunningGreek victoryvindicates thenaval strategyofThemistocles. 9 24September: Persian fleet flees at night toHellespont toguardbridges andwatch Ionian Greeks; Greeks allowXerxes’escapetoAsiawitharmy; Mardonius left in Thessalywithaforce forexpeditionagainst Peloponnesians next spring. Spring479Greekfleet of110ships assembles at Aeginaunder Leotychides; Persianfleet at Samos towatch Ionia. June479Mardonius occupies Attica; Athenians withdrawtoSalamis; refuseKing’s peaceoffer; Lycides stonedtodeathforsuggestingassemblyconsiderKing’s terms. July: Athenians threaten tocometoterms unless Spartasends armyto Boeotia; 5,000Spartiates joinedbyPeloponnesians at Isthmus marchtoBoeotia; Mardonius destroys what is left inAthens, 10