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Ancient Wars
The Ancient period is generally accepted as being 600 BCE to 500 CE, before which was the Archaic period, and after which began the Medieval period. However as there is not an Archaic Wars category, it is acceptable to post pre-500 BCE military questions in this area.
1,657 Questions
What were the strategies and weapons used in the battle of Thermopylae?
The Greek strategy was simple: to hold the pass as long as possible to give the Greek city-states time to assemble its many armies into a cohesive fighting force. Its tactics were to fight in a phalanx of wooden shields with a bronze buckler in the center. The Greeks fought with a long pike and they phalanx moved in unison with the pikes jutting out from the gaps between the shields. The Greeks wore bronze helmets, breastplates, and greaves, but the head of the pike was iron. They carried a heavy iron sword which had a bout a two foot blade for close combat.
Persians wore a leather helmet, a quilted padded jerkin, and a wicker shield, which was sufficient against most enemies, except the Greeks. They used bows and arrows and slings as well as light spears, but had a sword with a longer blade than the Greeks, which, at least among the Immortals, may have been made from an early form of steel. Xerxes strategy was to conquer with overwhelming force, but that meant that his army had to hug the coast so that the navy could supply it, and the navy was not free to strike at will. Tactically, the Persians sought to soften up the phalanx with slings and arrows, and to deliver the death blows in hand to hand combat. As it turned out, it was not until a shepherd betrayed the Greeks by showing them a goat path around the defensive position that the Persians were able to surround them. The slings and arrows did most of the work. Though, at the very end, there are accounts of Spartans fighting with rocks and broken helmets until the last man was cut down.
You mean in Homer's Epic. The Greeks. Actually, there were a lot of Troys, all on the same site, and they were captured by different people at different times. The one we think is Homer's Troy is known to archeologists as Troy VII A.
Who had the geographical advantage in the Peloponnesian war?
As a lamd power, the Spartan alliance had the advantage in peninsular Greece.
As a sea power, the Athenial alliance had the advantage in being able to attack in other places, until eventually the Persians gave money to the Spartan alliance to establish a navy to rival the Athenian one.
What did xerxes do to captans after the battle of salamis?
He had the captains of the Phoenician ships in his fleet, who lost their ships early in the battle, beheaded as an example to the others.
What is the modern name for corsica?
As ar as I know the name hasen't changed. Corsica is still Corsica.
It was the story sung by the bards for 500 years in many versions before it was written down. There were so many versions we don't know what was fact or a good story for entertainment.
Therefore we can't say its true. We don't even have unambiguous archaeological evidence. The best guess is that there was a series of pirate raids from Greece which clminated in the destruction of Troy.
What is the significance of th battle of chaeronea?
Macedonia gained dominance of peninsula Greece, setting Phillip II on his next objective of Persia.
Did any city attack or invade catal huyuk and uruk?
Catal Huyuk existed from 7,500 BCE to 5,700 BCE, and due to its pre-historic period we know little about its warlike activities.
Uruk existed from about 5000 BCE to 700 CE during which time it was involved in many contests and variously invaded or was invaded.
Reasons why the Persians lost the war even before the battle of Plataea?
They were defeated at sea at Salamis the year before, and therefore could not protect their supply fleet and had to send half their army home. Also without naval supremacy they could no longer threaten the Greek cities, who therefore no longer had to keep their armies at home, and could send them out to join up and fight the depleted Persan army.
Why were the Greeks defeated in thermopylae?
A few reasons,
First, the Greeks had 7,000 men and the Persians had 15,000
Second, the Greeks fought the Persian Immortals which were histories most elite and powerful warriors.
Third, the Persians found a route to outflank the Greeks.
How many battles did the Spartans lose?
Two battles actually, one to Thebes, and then again to the Romans when they conquered all of Greece.
Another view:
The Spartans lost quite a few battles, from early struggles in the Peloponnese, Messenia when they had to call in the Athenians to help them recover, Sphacteria after which they called a truce with Athens, several sea battles, through to the defeat at Corinth, then against Thebes at Leuctra, and as a waning power, losses during the 2nd Century BCE after which Sparta became militarily impotent.
How many Greeks were killed in the battle of Salamis?
This is not known, but with 40 ships lost, perhaps 8,000.
How was the battle of marathon been immortalized in the present time?
The Battle of Marathon was an exceptional achievement for the Greeks over the numerically superior Persians . To send news of this signal victory to Athens , Pheidippides was sent to inform them which required crossing a distance of approximately 25 miles - the approximate distance from Marathon to Athens .
To celebrate this victory the Marathon race was run annually and is now synonymous with a great achievement .
The Marathon Race of today eventually became fixed at 26 miles 385 yards in length .
