98. Thermopylae & Salamis Episode 1

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook set the Greco-Persian Wars in the context of Persia’s immense power and Greece’s political fragmentation. They trace the Ionian revolt, Athens’ victory at Marathon, and Themistocles’ push to build a fleet, before following Xerxes’ invasion preparations and the Greek strategy at Thermopylae and Salamis. The episode ends as the opposing forces approach, before the Battle of Thermopylae begins.

Main Topics: Persia’s power and historical perspective: The hosts challenge a Greece-centered view of antiquity, presenting Persia as the dominant imperial power and exploring how Persian ideas of order and moral purpose shaped its rule. They also note that the surviving narrative accounts are Greek, leaving Persian perspectives largely absent. The Ionian revolt and Persian response: Greek cities in Ionia rebelled against Persian rule and sought help from Sparta and Athens. Athens joined the revolt, and its forces helped burn Sardis; Persia subsequently crushed the rebellion and punished Miletus, setting the stage for conflict with Athens. Marathon and Athenian confidence: In 490 BC, Athens and Plataea confronted the Persian expedition at Marathon. The Athenians won, a victory that encouraged confidence but did not end the Persian threat. Themistocles and the Athenian fleet: Themistocles argued that revenue from a silver discovery should fund a large fleet rather than be distributed among citizens. He publicly framed the fleet as a way to challenge Aegina, while recognizing its importance against Persia. Xerxes’ invasion and Greek divisions: Xerxes assembled a vast, multinational force and prepared bridges and a canal for the campaign. The Greek states were divided: some remained neutral or leaned toward Persia because of local rivalries, complicating any united resistance. The Greek plan at Thermopylae and Salamis: Interpreting Delphi’s ‘wooden wall’ as the fleet, Themistocles supported evacuating Athens and relying on naval power. Leonidas led a small Spartan force north to hold the narrow pass at Thermopylae while the Greek fleet prepared at Artemision.

Key Arguments: The hosts argue that the Persian Wars should not be understood only as a clash between two unified civilizations: Greek city-states were fragmented, and some Greeks served Persia or declined to resist because of their own rivalries. Persian imperial ambition was framed by its rulers as a mission to impose order and truth, making the Greek revolt and Athens’ attack on Sardis appear to Persia as challenges requiring punishment. The surviving account is fundamentally Greek: Herodotus provides the central narrative, while the episode notes that no Persian narrative account of these battles survives. As a result, Persian motives and interpretations must be treated cautiously. Marathon demonstrated that the Persians could be defeated in battle, but the hosts emphasize that Athens’ success did not remove the danger of a larger invasion. Themistocles’ naval policy was strategically decisive: by investing silver revenue in ships and interpreting the oracle’s ‘wooden wall’ as the fleet, he helped shape a strategy that could exploit narrow waters and reduce Persia’s numerical advantage.

Data Points: Anniversary discussed: 2,500 years - The episode was timed to mark 2,500 years since the battles of Thermopylae and Salamis in 480 BC. Battle of Marathon: 490 BC - The Athenians and their Plataean allies defeated a Persian expedition. Silver discovery and fleet debate: 483 BC - A major silver find at Laurion prompted debate over distributing the revenue or investing it in a fleet. Estimated size of Xerxes’ force: Approximately 250,000–300,000 people - The hosts offer this as a plausible estimate, contrasting it with Herodotus’ much larger figure. Herodotus’ reported force estimate: About 1,070,000 people - The hosts describe Herodotus’ estimate as implausibly high; the opening epitaph’s ‘three million’ is also presented as poetic rather than a reliable count. Spartan contingent at Thermopylae: 300 men - Leonidas led 300 Spartans, all said to have had children, with other Greek forces joining them on the march. Greek force gathered under Leonidas: About 5,000 men - The episode says the force accumulated to roughly this size by the time it reached Thermopylae. Athenian losses at Marathon: 190 - The hosts cite 190 Athenian dead, compared with thousands of Persian losses. Duration of ostracism: 10 years - The Athenian political procedure could exile a prominent citizen for ten years; it was used amid the dispute between Themistocles and Aristides.

Pivotal Quotes: "Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by, That here, obedient to their laws, we lie." — Herodotus, as quoted in the episode: The epitaph introduces the Spartan dead at Thermopylae and the episode’s focus on their duty and sacrifice. "custom is king" — Tom Holland, recounting Herodotus’ account of Darius: The phrase captures the point that different peoples regard their own customs as natural and superior. "the wooden wall alone, the wooden wall shall stand." — Oracle of Delphi, quoted in the episode: Themistocles interpreted the oracle as referring to Athens’ fleet, supporting evacuation and a naval strategy.

Implications: The episode shows how historical narratives can reflect the perspective of their surviving sources, and how local rivalries can undermine collective resistance. It also highlights the strategic importance of naval investment and terrain in offsetting a larger empire’s military advantage.