Have Toga, Will Travel: Exploring Greece and Rome, Ancient and Modern

·E17

The Persians and the Greeks, Part III: Xerxes and the Road to Thermopylae

March 1
1h 6m

Episode Description

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

  1. The first episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part I: The Rise of the Persian Empire).
  2. The second episode in this series (The Persians and the Greeks, Part II: Darius, Great King, King of Kings).
  3. Our episode on Aeschylus’ Persians (Aeschylus’ “Persians”: The OG Greek Tragedy).
  4. 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

  1. 02:59 - Xerxes and the Many Sons of Darius
  2. 04:57 - Xerxes Quells Rebellions in Egypt and Babylon

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

  1. 06:08 - Herodotus’ Understanding of Xerxes’ Motivations
  2. 08:47 - A Persian Perspective?

10:31 - Planning Xerxes’ Campaign

  1. 11:00 - The Mt Athos Canal and Supply Depots in the Northern Aegean
  2. 12:39 - Ships and Cables
  3. 14:07 - Mustering the Army

14:28 - Xerxes Travels from Susa to Sardis

  1. 16:59 - Early Greek Responses to Xerxes’ Plans
  2. 17:15 - Initial Rumors
  3. 18:02 - Xerxes Demands Earth and Water
  4. 20:00 - The Range of Greek Responses: Submission, Accommodation, Resistance
  5. 25:35 - Greek Spies in Sardis
  6. 26:04 - Strategy and the Problems of Interstate Rivalries

27:28 - The Coming Storm

  1. 27:54 - Xerxes Crosses the Hellespont: the Pontoon Bridges
  2. 29:51 - Xerxes Counts his Forces (and why we should doubt Herodotus’ numbers)
  3. 34:27 - The March to Therma and the Kingdom of Macedonia
  4. 37:14 - The Greeks at Tempe and the Submission of the North

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

  1. 40:10 - The Geography of Thermopylae and Artemision (with a digression on “300”)
  2. 43:04 - The Greek Forces

48:33 - Thermopylae and Artemision: The Battles

  1. 48:58 - Spartan Hairstyles and Xerxes’ Frustrations
  2. 51:56 - The First Day of Fighting: Stalemate
  3. 43:30 - The Second Day of Fighting: Xerxes, Ephialtes, and the March of the Immortals
  4. 57:23 - The Third Day of Fighting: The Last Stand

65:12 - Wrap-up

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