In the summer of 480 BCE, the Great King of Persia, Xerxes, led an immense army and fleet into Europe with the goal of conquering Greece. Fifteen years earlier the Athenians had played a minor part in the five-year revolt of his Greek subjects spread across the western fringe of his empire, and in 490 BCE they had added injury to insult at Marathon by comprehensively defeating a punitive expedition launched by Darius, Xerxes’ father. It was Xerxes’ duty as Darius’ successor to execute his father’s vision.
Just over 30 of the hundreds of Greek city states resisted the Persian invasion – fortunately this included four of the most powerful: Athens, Sparta, Corinth and Aegina. These cities were appalled at the prospect of falling under tyrannical rule sustained by external power, especially if that power flowed from a towering throne hundreds of kilometres away. Under Persian rule, any form of government might have been allowed, even emerging democratic systems as at Athens, but tribute would have to be paid and military service could be required at any time. At the level of the state and by individual (male) citizens, this was seen as slavery.
VICTORY AT SEA, ATHENS BURNS
In the several decades up to 480 BCE the Persians had very rarely experienced defeat in battle. Having advanced unopposed into central Greece, they quickly brushed aside the first line of defence on land at Thermopylae. However, the Greek fleet had so far held its own against greatly superior numbers in the Straits of Artemisium. The relatively modest casualties at Thermopylae were sustainable
