Xerxes 1 and the Greeks (486BC-465BC)
Death of Darius:
• After Marathon, Darius quashed a revolt in Egypt
• Xerxes (eldest son of Atossa) argued with Artobazanes (eldest son overall) over who should
succeed Darius; Artobazanes argued he should as he was the eldest; Xerxes argued that he
should as the eldest son after Darius became king and as he was related, by blood, to Cyrus
• Darius agreed with Xerxes, and named him as his successor
• Darius died in 486BC; during preparations for a campaign to Egypt, after 36 years of rule
• Gate of Lands said Ahura Mazda decided Xerxes should rule, and places more emphasis on
the lineage from Darius
Invasion of Greece:
• Mardonius wanted Xerxes to invade Greece because he wanted to become a satrap; he
wanted to prove himself to Xerxes after his failure under Darius
• Xerxes wanted to quash the rebellion in Egypt first
• Xerxes decided to invade Greece after Mardonius reminded him of all the great resources
and highlighted the Persians' need for revenge
• However, after Artabanus advised against another expedition to Greece, Xerxes called it off;
in a dream, a man kept coming to Xerxes and telling him not to change his mind
• Xerxes asked Artabanus to pretend to be him and sleep in his bed; after the same man
threatened Artabanus with hot irons and curses, Artabanus changed his mind and agreed on
an expedition to Greece
• Xerxes spent 4 years preparing; gathered 2.5 million soldiers (Herodotus says it was more
like 500,000); dug canal through peninsula at Mt Athos by hand; Tied ships together to
create a bridge over the Hellespont, but it was destroyed after a storm (Xerxes whipped the
builders and beheaded the engineers) - also whipped sea and threw fetters into it, shouting
curses
• Pythius and Xerxes:
o 1st meeting Pythius offered Xerxes all his money and Xerxes returned it with more
o 2nd meeting Pythius asked for his eldest son to be spared from the army to look
after him; Xerxes was furious so he ordered the eldest son to be cut in half and
displaayed before the advancing army
• Battle of Thermopylae:
o Greek forces led by King Leonidas of Sparta; total Greek forces were 4200, 300 of
which were Spartan Hoplites
o Chosen due to narrowness which reduced Persians' numerical advantage +
defensive wall could be used as a redoubt
o Minor setback for Persians - 400 ships destroyed in storm
o Xerxes sent troops forward several times but they were repelled each time
o Ephialtes, betrayed the Greeks and revealed a secret path behind the pass; Persians
went around and caught Phocians by surprise, who raised the alarm
o Spartan hoplites + King Leonidas stayed behind to fight, fulfilling prophecy that for
Sparta to be safe, her king must die
o Greeks were cut down with ease and after battle Xerxes ordered that Leonidas by
beheaded and that dead Persians should be buried to hide the true scale of the
casualties
• Battle of Artemisium:
o Eurybiades in control of allied Greek fleet
Death of Darius:
• After Marathon, Darius quashed a revolt in Egypt
• Xerxes (eldest son of Atossa) argued with Artobazanes (eldest son overall) over who should
succeed Darius; Artobazanes argued he should as he was the eldest; Xerxes argued that he
should as the eldest son after Darius became king and as he was related, by blood, to Cyrus
• Darius agreed with Xerxes, and named him as his successor
• Darius died in 486BC; during preparations for a campaign to Egypt, after 36 years of rule
• Gate of Lands said Ahura Mazda decided Xerxes should rule, and places more emphasis on
the lineage from Darius
Invasion of Greece:
• Mardonius wanted Xerxes to invade Greece because he wanted to become a satrap; he
wanted to prove himself to Xerxes after his failure under Darius
• Xerxes wanted to quash the rebellion in Egypt first
• Xerxes decided to invade Greece after Mardonius reminded him of all the great resources
and highlighted the Persians' need for revenge
• However, after Artabanus advised against another expedition to Greece, Xerxes called it off;
in a dream, a man kept coming to Xerxes and telling him not to change his mind
• Xerxes asked Artabanus to pretend to be him and sleep in his bed; after the same man
threatened Artabanus with hot irons and curses, Artabanus changed his mind and agreed on
an expedition to Greece
• Xerxes spent 4 years preparing; gathered 2.5 million soldiers (Herodotus says it was more
like 500,000); dug canal through peninsula at Mt Athos by hand; Tied ships together to
create a bridge over the Hellespont, but it was destroyed after a storm (Xerxes whipped the
builders and beheaded the engineers) - also whipped sea and threw fetters into it, shouting
curses
• Pythius and Xerxes:
o 1st meeting Pythius offered Xerxes all his money and Xerxes returned it with more
o 2nd meeting Pythius asked for his eldest son to be spared from the army to look
after him; Xerxes was furious so he ordered the eldest son to be cut in half and
displaayed before the advancing army
• Battle of Thermopylae:
o Greek forces led by King Leonidas of Sparta; total Greek forces were 4200, 300 of
which were Spartan Hoplites
o Chosen due to narrowness which reduced Persians' numerical advantage +
defensive wall could be used as a redoubt
o Minor setback for Persians - 400 ships destroyed in storm
o Xerxes sent troops forward several times but they were repelled each time
o Ephialtes, betrayed the Greeks and revealed a secret path behind the pass; Persians
went around and caught Phocians by surprise, who raised the alarm
o Spartan hoplites + King Leonidas stayed behind to fight, fulfilling prophecy that for
Sparta to be safe, her king must die
o Greeks were cut down with ease and after battle Xerxes ordered that Leonidas by
beheaded and that dead Persians should be buried to hide the true scale of the
casualties
• Battle of Artemisium:
o Eurybiades in control of allied Greek fleet
