The Greek Strategy of Defense in 480

The Greek Strategy of Defense in 480

In 480 Persia amassed a huge fleet, built with the intensions of taking

over the entire country of Greece. Although this was not there first attempt,

with the enormous fleet they brought it would be one of their best. In order

to counter this attack from the Persians the Greek city-states had to unite

together to defend themselves. Many great leaders came to the forefront

because of this invasion. For the Greeks Themistocles planned, motivated,

and conspired ways to keep Athens and all of Greece safe against Persia.

Themistocles' impact was so great that there was a decree carved in stone

found many years after the war about a major strategic move he created that

the Greeks used to gain their victory over Persia. But the authenticity of this

decree is still questionable today. While for the Persians, their king Xerxes

was in controlled of the military.

Persia's attempt to besiege Greece in 480 appeared to be a very strong

plan, they had brought a huge fleet of ships; all with full crews ready to

dominate the Greek ships. "First, on board the 1207 ships from Asia, there

was the original complement drawn from over Asia of 241,000 men,

allowing for two hundred men per ship. Each of these ships also carried, in

addition to their native crew, thirty marines." (Waterfield 469) Herodotus

goes on to say that there were at least 3000 penteconter (smaller ships),

which held 80 men on each. Plus there were 20,000 men on camel, and

chariots, so the Persian naval force alone was 500,000 men. Herodotus also

says there were 1.7 million infantry, and 80,000 cavalry, which would put

the estimated entire military unit that Xerxes brought to Greece being around

2.3 million people. Whether or not the estimated numbers given by

Herodotus can be considered close to being accurate is very unlikely, but

there is know doubt that Persia sent a colossal military fleet into Greece and

were committing 100 percent into this effort. The city-states of Greece had

know choice but to unify together in order to protect themselves from the

coming invasion, so they form what was called the "Hellenic League". Most

of the city-states joined including the Athenians, Corinthians, Chalcis,

Megrians, and Plataens. There were a few city-states that did not join the

league. One city in particular was Thessaly who was willing to join the

league but they ended up collaborating with the Persian because before the

war started they felt they would be one of the first to be attacked by Persia

because of where they were located. "When the Thessalian messengers got

there they addressed them as follows: Ð''Men of Greece, if you want to shelter

no just Thessaly but the whole of Greece from war, you have to guard the

pass through Mount Olympus. We're ready to help you in this, but we can't

do it alone: you must send a good-sized army. Otherwise, you can be sure

that we will come to terms with Persia," (466) Those in the league who

could provide ships for the up coming battle did, those who could just

volunteer men did what they could. In all the Greeks fleet totaled at about

271 ships, with Athens contributing some 127 of them. Although Athens had

given the most ships for the war effort the Supreme Commander was a

Spartaite named Eurybiades, this was because the other city-states would not

stand for an Athenian leading them.

Xerxes was passionate about gaining control over Greece but he

hoped that the Greeks would just submit to him, so he sent out heralds to ask

each city-state to give earth and water to him as a sign of submission. Quite

a few did, the Thessalians, Dolopians, Enienians and a couple of other city-

states. But Xerxes did not make any attempt to send heralds to either Athens

or Sparta. "No heralds were sent by Xerxes to Athens and Sparta with a

demand for earth because Darius had done exactly that earlier, and the

heralds had been hurled into the Pin in Athens, and into a well in Sparta,

with the suggestion that they fetch earth and water from there to take to the

king." (448) Because of that act the Spartans namely the Lacedaemonians

felt that there Gods would not show them any good favor because of the

terrible