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Technology advantages are not conclusive - a successful foe adapts strategies and tactics to even up the odds.

The Greek infantry had metal armour which gave them an unassailable advantage over the Persian infantry. The Persians therefore relied on their superior cavalry, which led the Greeks to keep to broken ground at the battle of Plataia. And Athens won at Marathon by seizing the opportunity of swooping down and defeating the Persian infantry while the Persian cavalry was being loaded onto ships.

The Persian warships were heavier and superior to the Greek ships, which led the Greeks to seek naval engagements in narrow waters were they could outmanoeuvre the Persia in their smaller faster ships an use rams to attack the Persians who relied on boarding. These tactics succeeded in the decisive battle of Salamis.

The Persians tried to avoid a straight out contest anyway, relying on the venality of the Greeks by bribing them - at the naval battle of Lade the bribed-half of the Ionian-Greek fleet left the battle and their allies to certain defeat; later Xerxes' invasion was preceded by emissaries with bags of gold, resulting in many of the northern Greek cites siding and fighting with him at Plataia.

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10y ago

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