Herodotus Book 7

Question 1

Where does xerxes want to invade?

Answer 1

Greece , athens

Question 2

What is the name of the bridge that xerxes wants to build to bridge the gap between Persia and europe?

Answer 2

Hellespont

Question 3

Who is xerxes’ father?

Answer 3

Darius

Question 4

Wy does xerxes want to invade athens?

Answer 4

To seek vengeance on what they did to his father and the persians

Question 5

Who agrees with Xerxes’ plan and why does he think the enemies shouldnt be feared ?

Answer 5

Mardonius:

• because the persian army is bigger and they have more wealth
• because some of the daughter coties are already part of the persian empire
• because they are not united so dont plan effectively

Question 6

Why does mardonius think that the greeks shouldnt result to war against each other?

Answer 6

Because they speak the same language so should speak out their differences.

Question 7

What is the motivation behind mardonius sucking up to xerxes?

Answer 7

He wants to become a king in greece

Question 8

Who is the only person to speak up against xerxes?

Answer 8

Artabanus

Question 9

Who is artabanus in relation to xerxes?

Answer 9

His uncle

Question 10

Xerxes decides to listen to artabanus’ advice but them changes his mind- why?

Answer 10

He receives visions telling him not to- the second one says he will lose his title of king if he doesnt lead the expedition

Question 11

Who does xerxes believe his visions are from?

Answer 11

A god

Question 12

What are the 3 things that Artabanus should do in order to receive the same dream?

Answer 12

Wear xerxes clothes, sit on his throne and sleep in his bed

Question 13

How did Artabanus react to Xerxes saying he should sleep in his bed etc?

Answer 13

He was at first unwilling and explained to Xerxes why the dreams are not from a god and are instead just manifestations of his daily concerns. But, he gave in saying that if this works out he will let Xerxes do the expedition in peace because then the dreams must be from some sort of divine power.

Question 14

How did The Magi interpret Xerxes’ third dream?

Answer 14

That he would enslave the whole world and all races

Question 15

Describe the third vision

Answer 15

Xerxes was crowned with an olive wreath but then it vanished from his head .

Question 16

What did Xerxes men build the hellespont out of first time round?

Answer 16

Flax cable and a papyrus one

Question 17

How did the bridge get destroyed?

Answer 17

A powerul storm destroyed it

Question 18

What 3 things did xerxes do when he found out that his bridge was destroyed?

Answer 18

Said that it should receive 300 lashes
Ordered men to shout barbarous and arrogant words at the river
Wanted the heads of those who built to bridge to be chopped off.

Question 19

Why did the persians plan to winter at Sardis?

Answer 19

So that they could go to greece in spring time in more favourable weather conditions

Question 20

What portent did Xerxes see on the march to Greece?

Answer 20

The sun disappeared and it went from day to night

Question 21

What did the Magi interpret this portent of the sun to mean?

Answer 21

He believed that it was a message to the greeks showing them the eclipse of their cities

Question 22

Who was demaratus amd what did xerxes ask him?

Answer 22

An ex king of sparta, exile in persia.

Xerxes asked him what the Greeks will do in this fight- fight or surrender?

Question 23

Xerxes says that even if the Greeks had the same amount of people in their army they would still struggle to beat the Persians - why does he say this and what does Demaratus say in response?

Answer 23

He says this because they are not lead by one men so don’t have that same discipline but Demaratus says that they have a master to the law which they fear much more.

Question 24

What did the greeks do when they learnt that the persians would be coming?

Answer 24

They sent messangers to other greek colonies asking for help and they sent spies to spy on the persian army.

Question 25

What did xerxes do when he found out about the Greek spies?

Answer 25

He let them see his whole army and everything else they wanted to see as a way to intimidate the Greeks

Question 26

What were the messengers that were sent to argos told?

Answer 26

That the only way to get Argos to help was if they signed a 30 year treaty with them and allowed them equal share and command over the army.

Question 27

Why do some think that the Argives intentionally asked the Spartans of something they knew they would refuse?

Answer 27

Because they wanted an excuse for their lack of action since Xerxes had already form an agreement with them

Question 28

What did the spartans say when the arguves asked for command of the army?

Answer 28

That it would never work because the spartans have two kings and the arguves only have one

Question 29

How did xerxes persuade the argives to stay on his side and not get involved?

Answer 29

By making them aware of their shared ancestry and saying that he will never value anyone higher than them

Question 30

What gives evidence that xerxes had made an agreement with the argives?

Answer 30

Through messengers from argos being sent to ask artaxerxes if the terms of guest friendship still held.