480 Invasions (Xerxes)

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1. If Athenians obey the oracle, they would have to go far away and build a new city

2. Thermistocles doesnt like this and proposed that the oracle was referring to a navy ("build an army of wooden walls")

3.According to Apollo, the Greek Triremes would form a barricade of 200 ships around Athens.

4.Athens 10,000 Hoplites would join the navy instead on the army

5.Although Sparta had no navy, a spartan names Eurybiades was the admiral of the Athenian fleet

6.20000 Persians were killed in 2 days, but just 4000 greeks

7.Once the news of the defeat of Leonidas at Sparta reaches Athens, they flee, leaving only the old, the weak or the obstinate.

How did the Persians change their approach in 480-

1. Mainly just ground soldiers with some naval support

2.Persians dig a canal at MT athens

3.As Persians advance they threaten small greek illages "be enslaved or be killed"

4.Some Greeks join the Persians

5.Oracle says flee

6.Thermistocles says "fight the persians with navy"

Battles of Theropylae and Artemisium

I.Thermoppylae-

1.Slow down the persians

2.Kill 20,000 Persians

3. Leonidas and Spartans are killed

4.Persians win

II.Battle of Artemisium

1.It is a naval battle

2.Greeks attack Persians navy off Euboa

3.The battle is indecisive

4.Greeks retreat

III. What happens now?

1.More options for Athenians-

1) Fight with Navy

2)Retreat

3)Take a stand at the Acropolis

IV.Thermistocles

1.Fight in Salamis with narrow waters

2.Propose to fight in the straits of Salamis

1.Greek objective:destroy the Persian Navy

2.Trick the Persians into fighting in the narrow straits

I.Why are the Greeks Victorious

1.Greeks find ways to make up for their smaller numbers-

1.Better strategies at Salamis

2.Take advantage of Persian errors

3.Better boats(more maneuverable)

Battle of Platea 479

1.persians didn't have Naval support

2.Spartans helped Athenians even though they usually didn't work well together (Greek states)

3.Greeks were more protected

4.Persians rely on strength in numbers but it worked against them in salamis

5,Athenians evacuate rather than fight

6.They effective leaders/leadership

7.Had good preparation - athens prepared and built defensive navy

8. They won

9.This was the end of all major Persian invasions in Greece

Thermistocles interpretation of 480

Invasion of 480 summary

Invasions of 480 Details

Battle of Salamis

Battle of Platea