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Inscription in front of the Athenian Treasury, Delphi ( D&G 7.14 )

Marathon’s Soros : 192 Athenian and Plataean dead (burial site of 6400 Persians unknown) Rumors of Alkmaionid betrayal; Spartan tourism and Athenian ar ê te, tim ê , kleos ( Hdt . 6.120-124 ).

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Inscription in front of the Athenian Treasury, Delphi ( D&G 7.14 )

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  1. Marathon’s Soros: 192 Athenian and Plataean dead(burial site of 6400 Persians unknown)Rumors of Alkmaionid betrayal; Spartan tourism and Athenian arête, timê, kleos(Hdt. 6.120-124) “… they always bury [in the public grave] those who died in war, except those at Marathon: as they judged their valor to be outstanding, they made their tomb on the spot” (Thuc. 2.34.5 in D&G 7.16).

  2. Inscription in front of the Athenian Treasury, Delphi (D&G 7.14) ΑΘΕΝΑΙΟΙ Τ[Ο]Ι ΑΠΟΛΛΟΝ[Ι ΑΠΟ ΜΕΔ]ΟΝ ΑΚ[ΡΟΘ]ΙΝΙΑ ΤΕΣ ΜΑΡΑΘ[Ο]ΝΙ Μ[ΑΧΕΣ] Ἀθηναῖοιτ[ο]ῖ Ἀπόλλον[ι ἀπὸ Μέδ]ων ἀκ[ροθ]ίνια τῆς Μαρα[θ]όνι μ[άχες.]Athenaioi t[o]iApollon[iapo Med]on ak[roth]iniates Mara[th]oni m[axes.]The Athenians to Apollo, from the Medes, as first fruits of the battle of Marathon.

  3. Miltiades’ dedicatory helmet: “Miltiades” Dedications at Olympia, 490 BCE Persian dedicatory helmet: “The Athenians from the Medes to Zeus”

  4. Persians Wars: defense of isonomia • Why was Marathon significant? • What do you expect the repercussions to be from Persia? • How should the Athenians respond to the recalcitrant Spartans and other poleis in the event of another invasion? Leonidas(?), 480 BCE

  5. Athenian reforms after Marathon • 488/7: Ostracism – “Now that the people were confident, they used for the first time the law about ostracism: this had been enacted through suspicion of men in powerful position …. The first man to be ostracized was … Hipparchus [archon 496/5] …. For three years [they ostracized] friends of the tyrants, but after that … anyone else … too powerful” (Ath. Pol. 22.3-6) • Hipparchos (Peisistratid), 488/7 • Megakles (Alkmaionid), 487/6 • Friend of the Peisistratids: 486/5 • Xanthippos (Alkmaionid; Pericles’ father), 485/4 • Aristeides son of Lysimachos, 483/2 (year of the silver strike at Laurion) • Archons chosen by lot, strategoielected one per tribe, 487/6 • What does all of this suggest?

  6. 483/2: silver strike at Laureion – for the demos individually or collectively? “When the mines … were discovered … some proposed that the money should be distributed to the people … but Themistocles prevented this; he had 100 triremes built …. Three years later [481/0] in the archonship of Hypsichides, all the ostracized persons were recalled, on account of the advance of the army of Xerxes …” (AP 22.7) Athenian “owl” tetradrachmas, early 5th c. BCE Trireme Olympias on her maiden voyage in 1987

  7. Striking it rich – at what cost? • Themistokles represented the advocates of war, Aristeidesthose who wanted to distribute the silver (and he was ostracized for it) • Was Themistokles’ decision to use the silver for the construction of a fleet prudent? • What happens if the Greeks survive another Persian onslaught? What happens if they fail? • What impact would the recall of all political exiles [in 481/0] have on Athenian foreign policy?

  8. Xerxes’ invasion: 4200 ships, 5,283,220 allied forces & 1207 warships) from Sardis to Thermopylae (Hdt. 7.60-100, 184-7)

  9. Xerxes bridges the Hellespont “Xerxes gave orders that the Hellespont should receive 300 lashes and have a pair of fetters thrown into it” (Hdt. 7.35) 360ships 314ships

  10. “Xerxes’ army drank the river Lisus dry” (Hdt. 7.107) Pontoon bridge X Cape Artemisium Thermopylae X Xerxes’ fleet Delphi Xerxes’ army Thebes • “Most of the Greeks were unwilling to fight … and ready to accept Persian dominion” (Hdt. 7.138). Medizers included • Thebes (7.132) • Argos (7.149) • Syracuse (7.163) Athens Sparta

  11. Xerxes’ invasion – “the purpose was the conquest … of the whole of Greece” (Hdt. 7.138) • Xerxes, King of Persia, threw the entire weight of his kingdom against the poleis of Greece. Was this a wise choice? What other options did he have? • Was his allocation of resources overkill or appropriate to the task?

  12. Xerxes’ canal at Mt. Athos, Chalcidike N “… it was mere ostentation that made Xerxes have the canal dug” (Hdt. 7.12)

  13. Herodotus, Xerxes and ἦθος (êthos) or “character” • Considering Xerxes’ behavior at the Hellespont and Mt. Athos, how does Herodotus present the character of Xerxes? Does Herodotus view him as sympathetic, as tragic, or as an arrogant, hubristic monarch? • If you were to construct a Greek play – a tragedy – about Xerxes and the wars that he instigated, would you see him as sympathetic, as tragic, or as an arrogant, hubristic monarch?

  14. Delphi’s prophecies: Hdt. 7.140-143 • Why are there two oracles given to the Athenians on the eve of engagement with the Persians? • What were the two interpretations of the second oracle? (7.143,) “Though all else shall be taken within the bound of Cecrops … yet Zeus the all-seeing grants to Athena’s prayer that the wooden wall only shall not fall, but help you and your children” (Hdt. 7.141). Athens ca. 480 BCE

  15. Versions of the events at Thermopylae:300, graphic novel – F. Miller & L. Varley; film – Z. SnyderGates of Fire, novel – Stephen PressfieldHistories, historical account – Herodotus

  16. Why does Gates of Fire work?“The opposite of fear … is love” (380) • Geographic, historical & linguistic accuracy (Hot Gates, “we shall fight in the shade,” “tell him to come and get them”) • Narrative & characters (Alexandros, Polynikes) • Structure and organization • Story arcs (Xeones, Xerxes): aretê vs. atê • Humor, value-systems (“weck up to thees!” “I chose them not for their own valor, lady, but for that of their women”) • Gritty, realistic portrayal of war (120, 296, 299, 302) • Details of Greek culture (gods, philosophizing, agogê) • Spartan life & the characters and lives of • Spartan men & women (Dienekes, Arete) • helots (Rooster) and metoikoi(Diomache) • the “other” (Xerxes, “Tommie”) Does 300 work as well? • 7pm, Davis Auditorium

  17. Does the Persian strategy make sense?Does the Greek strategy make sense? Battle of Artemisium

  18. Leonidas, King of Sparta and ~7000 hoplites:μολὼν λαβέ(molōnlabe: Plut. Moralia 225c11)“Come and take [them]!”

  19. Rough location of the battlefield:What happened at Thermopylae? Ephialtes’ track Persian attack Phocian wall 300 Coastlineca. 480

  20. Arrowheads from ThermopylaeHelmet said to be from Thermopylae National Archaeological Museum, Athens Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

  21. After Thermopylae: did the Spartans die in vain? Why were they willing to sacrifice themselves?(see Hdt. 7.102, 104: Demaratus to Xerxes) “O stranger, go tell the Spartans that here we lie, to their orders [or laws] obedient” (Hdt. 7.228). Ὦ ξεῖν’, ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτιτᾖδε κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι πειθόμενοι. Ō ksein', angelleinLakedaimonioishotitēidekeimetha, toiskeinōnrhēmasipeithomenoi Xerxes and Leonidas’ head: “normally the Persians, more than any other nation I know of, honor men who distinguish themselves in war” (Hdt. 7.238)

  22. Next: Salamis & Plataea: νίκη(nikê) – victory! Salamis Athens Diolkos Diolkos

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