How big was the Athenian army during the Persian War?

Answer 1

At the battle of Plataia in 479 BCE Herodotos says there were 5,000 Spartan hoplites (armoured infantry) with 35,000 helot light infantry (they always took seven helots per hoplite to avoid uprisings at home while the army was away). In addition, from Lakadaemonia (the Spartan territory) was an additional 5,000 hoplites and 5,000 light infantry, the whole contingent totalling 50,000.

The other Greek contingents totalled about 60,000, half hoplites, half light infantry.

Answer 2

Herodotos gives a figure of about 2 million, however he was in fact describing the whole levy of the Persian empire. It would be ridiculous to imagine that Xerxes would drag along a mass of inferior troops who would have to be fed for no purpose. It is obvious that he would bring only the better quality ones who would be able to stand up to Greek armoured infantry. He also had the Greek cities who had come over to his side to call on.

Modern estimates vary between about 180,000 and 360,000. The latter figure could be the overall strength if it included the Greek soldiers supplied by the Greek cities which had joined his side. Also he had about 600 ships, with 200 crewmen each - say 120,000.

Answer 3

Herodotus estimated Persian total numbers as being in excess of five million. A more realistic estimate however is something between 100,000 and 1 million, the most common estimate being about 200,000.

Another view:

However the list of Persian generals in the 480-479 invasion of the Greek mainland shows three corps each of five infantry and one cavalry divisions. A division (myriad) was 10,000, so the total was 180,000.

Herodotus' list was all the callout of the entire empire, and they could not be transported and fed in such an extended campaign, so they brought only the best troops who had a chance of standing up to Greek armoured infantry. And after the defeat of the Persian navy at Salamis, even that number could not be supported and half was sent home, leaving 90,000 plus 40,000 local Greek allies.

So the numbers were about equal at the battle of Plataea.

Answer 4

Greek-Persian, not Spartan-Persian. In tens of thousands of Greek warriors only a small part was Spartan,300 in Thermopylae and +-7000-8000 in Plateia.They were the most well trained and elite,but they did not fight alone,they were just a part, but probably most important part of Greek allied force that defeated Persians.

Answer 5

At the Battle of Marathon in the First Persian War, the Athenian Army numbered between nine and ten thousand, reinforced by one thousand soldiers of the Plataean Army.

Answer 6

About 110,000 on the southern Greek side and about 40,000 Greek fighting on the Persian side.

Answer 7

10,000 armoured infantry and 30,000 light infantry.

Answer 8

10,000 heavy infantry and 30,000 light infantry.

Answer 9

At the largest battle of Plataea there were 120,000 heavy and light infantry.