AS Quotes: The Persian Wars Flashcards
What does Herodotus say about Mardonius’ campaign in 492 BC?
Herodotus 6.44: “the Persians were really aiming at the conquest of as many Greek states as they could manage”
What does Herodotus say about Darius demanding submission in 491 BC?
Herodotus 6.48: Darius dispatched heralds to every corner of Greece.
What does Herodotus say about how the Naxians’ reaction to the Persians conquering Naxos?
Herodotus 6.96: The Naxians fled to the mountains “rather than stand their ground”.
What does Herodotus say about the Delians’ reaction to the Persians arriving to Delos?
Herodotus 6.97: The Delians too were taking to their heels, abandoning Delos.
What does Herodotus say about the Athenians’ forces in the Battle of Marathon?
Herodotus 6.108: the Athenians were aided by soldiers from Plataea
What does Herodotus say about Militades’ speech to other generals at the Battle of Marathon?
Herodotus 6.109: he says that if they refuse to fight, “our purpose will be shaken and we shall submit to Persia”.
What does Herodotus say about the disagreement between the Hellenic League in 480 BC?
Herodotus 7.207: discusses how those who lived in the Peloponnese wanted to withdraw to the Peloponnese as it was easier to defend due to the ismuth of Corinth, but others opposed as they would have to abandon their cities.
What estimation does Herodotus give for the size of the Persian army at the battle of Thermopylae?
He estimates that the Persian army were in the millions.
What do scholars estimate to be the actual size of the Persian army at the battle of Thermopylae?
Between 120 000 and 300 000 soldiers.
What does Herodotus say about the total amount of Greek ships at Salamis?
Herodotus 8.2: the total Greek ships at Salamis were 371, with 180 being Athenian.
What does Herodotus say about Adeimantus at the battle of Salamis?
Herodotus 8.94: describes an Athenian story about how the Corinthian commander Adeimantus fled from Salamis with the Corinthians. He also says how the rest of Greece believed the Corinthians fought bravely.
What does Herodotus say about the total amount of Peloponnesian ships at Salamis?
He says that Sparta only provided 16 ships, whilst Megara and Corinth provided 20 and 40 respectively.
Who does Herodotus give praise to for the victory at Plataea?
Herodotus says that Greece won at Plataea due to the Spartan hoplites.
What is the Serpent Column?
A column with an inscription listing the number of men each state brought to Plataea. It only lists 31 states.
According to the Serpent Column, how many men did Sparta provide for Plataea?
10 000 men, which made up 25% of the force!
