Revenge for Leonidas
Battlefield Command Podcast
Plataea is one of the many forgotten battles of the ancient world. A grand coalition of Greek city-states came together in a massive show of strength to oppose the Persian Empire. Nonetheless, the odds were still against the Greeks--as they had been at Marathon--at Thermopylae-- at Salamis, and now, at Plataea. Mardonius, as a general, is still quite capable of finishing the job his King had started a year before. Only through a united effort would Athens and Sparta triumph over the vast numbers of Persia.
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Prophecy Fulfilled
Battlefield Command Podcast
Leonidas proved that even a small number of men could fight against what seemed like the whole of Asia set to devour Greece. The ideal of courage and heroism set by the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae conveyed a message of hope and pride to their fellow Greeks. A monument to their sacrifice stands at Thermopylae today with an epitaph penned by the poet Simonides to commemorate the last stand of the Spartans: “Go tell the Spartans, passerby, that here, obedient to their laws, we lie.”
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Marshall the Empire
Battlefield Command Podcast
It is now ten years after the miraculous victory at Marathon. A thousand nations of the Persian Empire are on the march. This vast host drains the rivers dry and shakes the very earth with its march. Such a vast host had never before been assembled in the annals of history and this great army had but one objective. The complete conquest of all Greece. Xerxes would at last gain sweet revenge against these impudent Greeks.
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#2.5- Bonus: Pheidippides True Story or Myth?
Battlefield Command Podcast
I just wished to give my thanks to the growing numbers of listeners out there in this vast world by talking about a runner whose act has gone down in legend. This young man known as Pheidippides should've been the inspiration for the awesome meme hold my beer since if running the entire distance from Athens to Sparta wasn't enough. Pheidippides ended up running 150 miles back and still made his report on whether or not those pesky Spartans would join their Athenian rivals against the Persians at Marathon.
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Battle of Marathon Part 2
Battlefield Command Podcast
A battle will now be fought on the beaches of Marathon. Only 25 miles away is the city state of Athens who awaits the results with baited breath. If the citizen army of this nascent democracy is destroyed then nothing would be able to stop the vengeance of Persia. Miltiades must hold and defeat the seemingly invincible forces of Datis and Artaphernes or his beloved Athens will burn.
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Battle of Marathon Part 1
Battlefield Command Podcast
I will now tell you a story where few stood against many. The Persian Empire of Darius stretches from Asia Minor to the borders of India. The empire encompasses all of what the Greeks would understand as the 'known world.' This backwater known as Ancient Greece to Persian eyes would come to have the eye of Darius be laid upon this den of rebellion. Athens will be punished for the help this nascent democracy gave to their fellow Ionian Greeks and nothing will stop the armies of the Great King.
info_outlineI just wished to give my thanks to the growing numbers of listeners out there in this vast world by talking about a runner whose act has gone down in legend. This young man known as Pheidippides should've been the inspiration for the awesome meme hold my beer since if running the entire distance from Athens to Sparta wasn't enough. What about running the roughly 150 miles back to Athens as well. That means he ran almost to a little over 300 miles. Then, Pheidippides proceeded to run all the way to where the Athenian army was encamped at Marathon and still had breath to give his report on whether or not Sparta would fight against the Persians.