| "HISTORY OF ANCIENT GREECE" PAGE 4 |
| "CONTENT" The Battle Of Plataea; The Battle of Mycale; The nine Muses |
| "THE BATTLE OF PLATAEA" (In a Nut Shell) The Greeks assembled what was probably the largest hoplite army in history in the summer of 479BC, and marched north. Sparta sent 40,000 men under the command of Pausanias to aid the Athenians. The Spartans knew the importance of this battle, it was the Greek city states fighting for their existence against the Persian forces. The Spartans fielded 5,000 Spartiates (full citizen soldiers); this was the largest single Spartan fighting force ever to appear in battle. The Persians had built a fortified camp near Plataea which was an ideal place to use their cavalry against the advancing Greeks. The Greeks however, very wisely, remained on higher ground overlooking the Persian camp. This resulted in a stalemate for 11 days except for a few minor skirmishes. While attempting a partial retreat after their supply lines were disrupted, the Greek line came apart. Thinking the Greeks were in full retreat, Mardonius ordered his forces to pursue them, but instead the Greeks particularly the Spartans and Athenians, halted, stood their ground and fought. This 'turned the tide' if you will, against the lightly-armed Persian infantry and killing Mardonius. A good portion of the Persian army was trapped in their camp, and was annihilated. The destruction of the invasion force, and also the Battle of Mycale, which was on the same day(?) pretty much ended the Persian invasion. Aristodemus along with a fellow Spartiate, had been dismissed from the army by Leonidas because of an eye infection on that last fateful day. However, his colleague had insisted on being led into battle, partially blind, by a helot. Preferring to return to Sparta, Aristodemus was branded a coward, and suffered a year of ridicule before Plataea. Anxious to redeem his name, he charged the Persian lines by himself, killing in a fury and taking several Persians lives before being killed himself. Although the Spartans agreed that he had redeemed himself, they awarded him no special honour, because he failed to fight in the disciplined manner expected of a Spartan. ( Boy... these Spartans are a tough group!) The Figures according to Herodotus are as follows: {Combatants} Greek city-states / Persia { Commanders} Pausanias / Mardonius { Strength} 110 000 / 300 000 {Casualties} 159 / 257 000 Please keep in mind that Herodotus' numbers haven't always been accurate. We do believe today that his numbers have always been embellished. (However, we weren't there... so who really knows?) |
| "THE BATTLE OF MYCALE" The Battle of Mycale occurred on the same afternoon as Plataea. A Greek fleet under the Spartan king Leotychides, had sailed to Samos to challenge the remnants of the Persian fleet. The Persians, whose ships were in a poor state of repair, had decided not to risk fighting, and instead drew their ships up on the beach at the feet of Mount Mycale in Ionia. An army of 60,000 men had been left there by Xerxes, and the fleet joined with them, building a palisade around the camp to protect the ships. However, Leotychides decided to attack the camp with the Allied fleet's marines. Seeing the small size of the Greek force, the Persians emerged from the camp, but the Greek hoplites again proved superior, and destroyed much of the Persian force. The ships were abandoned to the Greeks, who burnt them, thus crippling Xerxes' sea power, With the two victories of Plataea and Mycale, the second Persian invasion of Greece was lost. |
| Photo thanks to www.livius.org |
| "MYCALE" |
| PROUD, BRAVE IMMORTALS |
| PLATAEA TODAY! |
More Buttons To Play With! |
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Calliope - Muse of eloquence and epic or heroic poetry, leader of the muses Clio - Muse of historical and heroic poetry Erato - Muse of lyric poetry, particularly love and erotic poetry, and mimicry Euterpe - Muse of lyric poetry and music, particularly the flute Melopomene - Muse of tragedy Polyhymnia - Muse of the sublime and sacred hymn, eloquence and dance Terpsichore - Muse of dancing, the dramatic chorus, and of lyric poetry Thalia - Muse of comedy and pastoral, merry and idyllic poetry Urania - Muse of astronomy, astrology and Universal love The Muses of Greek mythology had one of the most important functions of all: to inspire poets and promote the arts and sciences. The fortunate person inspired by them was held in the highest esteem and considered sacred far beyond any priest. The Muses were often described as the queens of song, and no Olympian banquet was complete without them. The muses would entertain the gods on Mount Olympus They were said to be the daughters of Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, and Mnemosyne, the goddess of Memory, even though others claim that their parents were actually Uranus (Sky) and Gaea (Mother Earth). They were born in Pieria, at the foot of Mount Olympus. |
| There were nine muses: |
