Emily and Cam dive into Xerxes’ decision to invade Greece, and tell the story of his expedition as far as the Battle of Thermopylae. (Featuring a very brief digression on "300".)

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Links

• The first episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire).
• The second episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part II: Darius, Great King, King of Kings).
• Our episode on Aeschylus’ Persians (Aeschylus’ “Persians”: The OG Greek Tragedy).
• Our episode on heroes in the ancient Greek world (Holding Out for a Hero—in Ancient Greece).

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00:12 - Introduction

01:18 - The Last Years of Darius

02:38 - Xerxes, King

• 02:59 - Xerxes and the Many Sons of Darius
• 04:57 - Xerxes Quells Rebellions in Egypt and Babylon

05:39 - Xerxes’ Project: The Invasion of Greece

• 06:08 - Herodotus’ Understanding of Xerxes’ Motivations
• 08:47 - A Persian Perspective?

10:31 - Planning Xerxes’ Campaign

• 11:00 - The Mt Athos Canal and Supply Depots in the Northern Aegean
• 12:39 - Ships and Cables
• 14:07 - Mustering the Army

14:28 - Xerxes Travels from Susa to Sardis

• 16:59 - Early Greek Responses to Xerxes’ Plans
• 17:15 - Initial Rumors
• 18:02 - Xerxes Demands Earth and Water
• 20:00 - The Range of Greek Responses: Submission, Accommodation, Resistance
• 25:35 - Greek Spies in Sardis
• 26:04 - Strategy and the Problems of Interstate Rivalries

27:28 - The Coming Storm

• 27:54 - Xerxes Crosses the Hellespont: the Pontoon Bridges
• 29:51 - Xerxes Counts his Forces (and why we should doubt Herodotus’ numbers)
• 34:27 - The March to Therma and the Kingdom of Macedonia
• 37:14 - The Greeks at Tempe and the Submission of the North

39:46 - Thermopylae and Artemision: Greek Plans and Preparations

• 40:10 - The Geography of Thermopylae and Artemision (with a digression on “300”)
• 43:04 - The Greek Forces

48:33 - Thermopylae and Artemision: The Battles

• 48:58 - Spartan Hairstyles and Xerxes’ Frustrations
• 51:56 - The First Day of Fighting: Stalemate
• 43:30 - The Second Day of Fighting: Xerxes, Ephialtes, and the March of the Immortals
• 57:23 - The Third Day of Fighting: The Last Stand

65:12 - Wrap-up