Browse Items (25 total)

Darius The Great invaded Greece and lost at the Battle of Marathon, his son Xerxes took the throne before Darius could get around to attacking Greece again.
Darius's failure led to Xerxes's lusts for blood and was a factor in the gruesome Second…

The Persian fleet was much larger, consisting of both bigger ships and larger numbers, but that played to their downfall at the Battle of Salamis. These larger ships were turned all around and easily boarded and defeated at the hands of the Greek…

This painting shows the pure chaos Themistocles caused for the large Persian ships, and his strategy to lure the Persian fleet into the straits if Salamis was a blow to the Persian's invasion.
This battle effectively cut off the Persian supply line,…

The Athenian Aristides (man in Green) was a strategos at the Battle of Marathon and was in charge of the Athenian army in Athens while Themistocles was battling the Persians at sea when Mardonius came to Athens seeking an ally. Aristides refused,…

Athenian soldiers, typically wearing blue, were not life-long soldiers as Sparta, but their navy was unmatched, and their hoplites were as brave as Sparta's when needed. Athenian soldiers were the powerhouse of the naval victories during the…

Leotychidas was one of the two Kings, serving with Leonidas I and taking up arms against Persia after his fellow King's death. Leotychidas commanded 110 Spartan ships and forced the Persian fleet to beach at Mycale. He was a key factor in the victory…

Persian archers numbered in the thousands and gave the Persian army an advantage in land battles because of their sheer number. Archers are thought to have dealt the final blows to the Spartan 300, including Leonidas. The Persian Archers were so…

The Strait of Salamis is a narrow passage between islands in Greece, and it was a key victory for the Greeks because Xerxes's naval fleet was decimated.
Themistocles of Greece tricked Xerxes's fleet into the narrow Strait and disoriented the…

King Leonidas gathered 300 royal guards and several thousand hoplites to hold the Persians at the Hot Gates of Thermopylae.
This heroic stand by an aging King (around 60 years old) against impossible odds gave the rest of Greece hope against the…

Persian Immortals were fierce soldiers that had nicer armor and better training than the rest of the army, like ancient Seal Team 6, and they were the group that flanked the Spartan Phalanx at Thermopylae.
These elite soldiers were sent out as a war…