ANTH 3030 Study Guide - Final Guide: Spartiate, Hubris, The Persians
Document Summary
The battle of thermopylae (the hot gates ); september 17th-19th, 480 b. c. 7. 138-239 = p. 460-499 (battle: 7. 201-239 = p. 486-499) Context: a clash of utterly alien cultures!! (persians wear trousers!) One of the primary subjects of h"s work (see preface to book 1 = p. 3) Persian aim: to get revenge on athens, (see hdt. 5. 105: p. 353-4) who had reneged on their submission years before, and beaten datis at the battle of marathon in 490; and to subvert all. Persian strategy: advance simultaneously by land and sea. Xerxes" hubris (arrogance, spiritual pride), and need to establish himself as a great king in the tradition of his assyrian, median and. Persian predecessors; bridging the hellespont, whipping the troops into battle. Greek strategy: defend the narrow places: tempe, thermopylae, the isthmus. Note already a huge dichotomy between athens and sparta! Troop numbers: h says the persians numbered 1,700,000 (hdt. 7. 60 = p. 439), + 1207 ships (hdt.
