greece military battles
DESCRIPTION
CHW3MTRANSCRIPT
HerodotusHerodotus
The First HistorianThe First Historian Wrote Wrote HistoriesHistories in the 5 in the 5thth century century Described the Persian Wars and many other eventsDescribed the Persian Wars and many other events
““These are the Researches of Herodotus of These are the Researches of Herodotus of Halicarnassus set down to preserve the memory of the Halicarnassus set down to preserve the memory of the past, and to prevent the great and wonderful past, and to prevent the great and wonderful achievements of the Greeks and the Barbarians from achievements of the Greeks and the Barbarians from losing their glory, and in particular, to show how the two losing their glory, and in particular, to show how the two peoples came into conflict.”peoples came into conflict.”
Hoplites and Phalanx require:Hoplites and Phalanx require: Soldiers equipped with Soldiers equipped with
correct armour, shield and correct armour, shield and helmet, spear and swordhelmet, spear and sword
Had to be brave Had to be brave Intense training = perfect Intense training = perfect
formationformation
Armour includes:
Bronze breastplate
Bronze greaves
Linothorax - tunic of stiffened linen
Hoplites fighting – possibly in the gymnasium. Detail from an Attic black-figure hydria, ca. 560 BC–550 BC.
Chigi vase 650 BCE, showing hoplites in phalanx formation
Greek Greek Hoplites Hoplites
(c.650BCE)(c.650BCE)HOPLITE FORMATION: HOPLITE FORMATION: Soldiers trained to fight in lines, shoulder to Soldiers trained to fight in lines, shoulder to
shoulder, shields overlappingshoulder, shields overlapping Protected by shield of man next to himProtected by shield of man next to him All march forward together, no enemy All march forward together, no enemy
spears or arrows could get through their spears or arrows could get through their wall of shields wall of shields – hoplite formation like a “scrum” in rugbyhoplite formation like a “scrum” in rugby
The Trireme The Trireme
In use since about 550 BCE. Associated with many maritime civilizations including: Athenian, Phoenician, Corinthian, Egyptian and Roman
Recent Archaeological FindRecent Archaeological Find
Discovered and excavated in 1993 in by underwater archaeologists off the coast of Marseilles (P. Pomey
(dir.), M. Rival, R. Roman)
Persian WarsPersian Wars
Battle of Marathon (490 BCE)Battle of Marathon (490 BCE)
Greece (led by Greece (led by Athens) vs PersiaAthens) vs Persia
Athens appealed Athens appealed to Sparta for helpto Sparta for help
Origin of the Origin of the ‘marathon’‘marathon’
One of first One of first recorded instances recorded instances in which phalanx in which phalanx usedused
Winner: GreeceWinner: Greece
Thermopylae (480 BCE) Thermopylae (480 BCE) Persian King XerxesPersian King Xerxes 300 Spartans led by king 300 Spartans led by king
Leonidas defended Leonidas defended narrow pass to protect narrow pass to protect Greek navyGreek navy
OracleOracle BetrayalBetrayal ““Go, tell at Sparta, thou Go, tell at Sparta, thou
who pass by, that here who pass by, that here obedient to her word, we obedient to her word, we lie”lie”
Winner = PersiaWinner = Persia
Salamis and Plataea (479 Salamis and Plataea (479 BCE) BCE)
Greeks (Athens, Greeks (Athens, Sparta, Corinth) vs. Sparta, Corinth) vs. Persia (Xerxes… Persia (Xerxes… again)again)
Salamis: Naval battle Salamis: Naval battle (Greek fleet of triremes (Greek fleet of triremes (fast ships) = winner (fast ships) = winner Greece Greece
Plataea: land battle Plataea: land battle where Persia defeated where Persia defeated by the Spartan phalanxby the Spartan phalanx