AR104 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Pausanias Of Sparta, Mardonius, Battle Of Thermopylae
23 Sep 2013
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Athens the most important city-state in our study: best documented polis, political/cultural institutions were imitated, only example of a major independent polis to successfully adopt direct democracy. Dominated by 300 years until alexander the great. The most important ancient source of the rise of persia and the persian wars. Account of his researches from his travels: egypt: book two, total picture of the known world in the 5th century. 560 547 bce: conquered the greek city-state of ionia. Oracle of apollo"s ambiguous reply; if war was waged against persians, a great kingdom would fall. 499 bce ionian greeks revolt against persians. Appeal to athens and sparta for help. Pheidippides sent to sparta; plataeans send aid. Total victory: 6,400 persians dead, 192 athenians. One of the most famous battles in western warfare: western freedom vs. eastern slavery. Themistocles: encourages the building of triremes, new athenian navy funded by the silver mines at laurium.
