The Medo-Persian Empire (Pt.40) (Est 2.8)
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The Four Gentile World Empires The Medo-Persian Empire The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • While an Athenian ship hotly pursued her, Artemisia proceeded to ram and sink a fellow Persian trireme that was in the way • When the Athenians saw how violently Artemisia’s ship rammed the Persian ship, they believed it had defected to their side and gave up the pursuit • Xerxes and the bystanders observing the battle from land recognized Artemisia’s ship but did not know that the ship she rammed was their own, so they were impressed and praised her for her aggressiveness • Xerxes is supposed to have said, “my men fight like women, and my women like men” • As the battle intensified, and the Persians attempted to advance large numbers of ships, they became bottle-necked in the straits of Salamis, just as the Greeks had hoped • The Persians became disorganized and some broke rank, bringing more confusion, particularly to the ships in the rear • The ships in the rear were anxious to display their valor before Xerxes and began to force their way to the front and became entangled with the other Persian ships that were either stationary or attempting to retreat • The Greeks took advantage of the narrowed battle front and confusion among the Persian ranks and the rout was on (The Histories, 8.87-91) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 Xerxes, as portrayed by Rodrigo Santoro in 300: Rise Of An Empire, overlooks the Battle of Salamis from Mount Aigaleo The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 Artemisia, as portrayed by Eva Green in 300: Rise Of An Empire, readies for combat at the Battle of Salamis The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 1:3-4 The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • A vast number of reputable Persians died at the Battle of Salamis including Ariabignes, one of Xerxes’ brothers and chief commander of the Persian fleet • More Persians died from drowning than from actual battle because they did not know how to swim • The Greeks suffered a low number of casualties, in part, because they knew how to swim (The Histories, 8.89) • Artemisia and some other Persian commanders survived the battle and escaped to the port of Phalerum to shelter themselves under the protection of the Persian land army • Although Artemisia also retreated, she had proven herself to be brilliant commander and most formidable foe • The Greeks were so offended that a woman bore arms against them, and so successfully, that they offered a 10,000 drachmas reward for the captain who would capture Artemisia alive • As the Persians departed in confusion for Phalerum, Aristides took a number of heavily armed troops and invaded the isle of Psyttaleia, killing all the Persians who had occupied it • When the sea battle was over, the Greeks assembled at Salamis supposing Xerxes would send his surviving ships back and renew the fight (The Histories, 8.92-96) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • The Greek victory at Salamis prevented Xerxes from a quick conclusion to the invasion and changed the course of history, giving rise to Japhetic dominance and “Western civilization” • When Xerxes saw the extent of his losses, he became concerned that the Greeks would sail to the Hellespont and destroy the pontoon bridges he had built, and strand him and his armies in Europe • He decided it was time for him to retreat to Persia but he did not want the Greeks or his own forces to know this, so he made many war-like preparations to make it appear otherwise; but his general Mardonius knew exactly what the king was doing based on his knowledge and experience with him • Xerxes sent a messenger to Susa with tidings of their defeat, and the same people who less than two weeks before had celebrated in the streets over word of the capture and burning of Athens, now grieved in the streets renting their garments and crying aloud • The Persian people blamed Mardonius for the defeat and feared for Xerxes’ life until they saw him • Mardonius knew that he was the one who persuaded the king to undertake this war so he feared what punishment Xerxes might exact from him (The Histories, 8.97-100) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • He decided the best thing for him to do was continue the war and either become the conqueror of Greece or die gloriously in the effort • Mardonius went to Xerxes and proposed they attack the Peloponnese at once because the Greeks would not come ashore and fight his land army • He also proposed that if Xerxes was resolved to return home, he should go but not allow the Persians to be a laughing-stock to the Greeks • He asked Xerxes to authorize him with the task of continuing the war and bringing Greece into subjugation • He requested Xerxes leave him an army of 300,000 men to finish the job and the rest could go home • Xerxes was delighted in Mardonius’ proposal and responded that he would consider it and let him know his decision • Xerxes consulted with the chief men of the Persians as well as Artemisia, since she was the only one who gave him wise counsel before the Battle of Salamis • When she arrived, he sent all of the chief men out to speak with her privately • He summarized Mardonius’ two-fold proposal to her and requested that, as she wisely counseled him not to engage in the Battle of Salamis, she advise him on which of the two actions to take for his own good (The Histories, 8.100-101) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • Artemisia responded that it was difficult to advise the king but as things currently stood, the best thing for him to do would be to return home • She also advised him that if Mardonius preferred to remain behind and resume the fight, the king should give him the troops he asked for and let him do so because if he was successful, the victory would be the king’s but if he was unsuccessful, it would not be a huge loss since the king would be safely home • She then reminded Xerxes that he did fulfill the primary objective of the invasion: to get revenge on the Greeks and burn Athens • Xerxes was well pleased by Artemisia’s counsel since it aligned with his own thoughts- so much so, that if all his other counselors had advised him with one consent to stay and fight, he probably would not have done so • He then entrusted his young illegitimate sons that accompanied him on the invasion to Artemisia’s care, ordering her to convey them safely to Ephesus • Xerxes called for Mardonius and told him to select the 300,000 troops that would remain with him in Greece and charged him to make sure his achievements matched his promises • Xerxes then issued the order and the ships left Phalerum for the Hellespont to guard the bridges in preparation for his return (The Histories, 8.102-103,107) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • The next day, the Greeks saw that the Persian land forces had not moved and assumed their ships were still at Phalerum so they prepared themselves for another attack • However, news came that the ships had departed and were headed for the Hellespont • The Greeks called for a war council and Themistocles advised them that they should pursue the Persians to the Hellespont and destroy the pontoon bridges • Eurybiades advised to the contrary, arguing that it would be wiser to let the Persians return to their land if they wanted out of Europe rather than stranding them and forcing them to subjugate smaller towns and villages, that could eventually lead to them getting a foothold in Europe • The rest of the council sided with Eurybiades, and Themistocles accepted the decision of the council • He addressed his fellow Athenians regarding the decision not to pursue the Persians letting them know that they had accomplished their mission to drive the barbarian out of Greece and now was the time to look to their own families and repair their own houses (The Histories, 8.108-109) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • Themistocles then sent a trusted messenger privately to Attica with a message for Xerxes informing him that he convinced the other Greeks not to pursue him in his retreat, so he could return home at his leisure undisturbed • Xerxes and his armies withdrew into Boeotia in early October 480 BC, a few days after the Battle of Salamis, under Mardonius’ escort • Mardonius made the decision to winter in Thessaly and wait until the spring to attack the Peloponnese • It was at Thessaly that he chose the 300,000 soldiers who would remain with him, the vast majority of which were Persians, followed by Medes and Sacans • He also chose all of the Immortals except Hydranes, who would not leave the side of the king • While Xerxes and his army were still at Thessaly, the Spartans received a message from the oracle of Delphi that they should seek satisfaction for the killing of Leonidus, so they sent a messenger to Xerxes making the request • Xerxes laughed and, pointing to Mardonius, told the messenger that Mardonius would give them the satisfaction they deserved • Xerxes left Mardonius and 300,000 troops in Thessaly and marched toward the Hellespont with the rest (The Histories, 8.110,113-115) The Medo-Persian Empire- Est 2:8 XERXES I • Many Persian troops died along the way from plague and dysentery; those who survived did so by plundering the villages along the way and stripping the land bare of all its resources • Xerxes arrived at the Hellespont in mid-November 480 BC, 45 days after leaving Thessaly, with a fraction of the army he started with • When they arrived, their pontoon bridges had been