Greek and Persian Warfare
This formation used by Greek hoplites was densely packed and at least eight men deep, making it formidable in close combat.
What is the phalanx?
Answer: This enigmatic poet is considered the most famous poet and the first recorder of oral poetry and storytelling.
Who is Homer?
The Trojan prince who abducted Helen, sparking the Trojan War.
Who is Paris?
The poems of Homer were passed down through generations in this manner.
What is orally?
The Battle of Marathon was the first Greek victory over this formidable enemy.
Who are the Persians?
The number of Spartan soldiers who died by the early afternoon of August 20, 480 BC.
What is 300?
The geographical advantage that helped the Greeks neutralize the Persian fleet.
What are the narrow straits of Salamis?
The Battle of Plataea was part of this larger series of conflicts between Greece and Persia.
What are the Greco-Persian Wars?
This elite force within the Persian army was well-protected with armor and armed with spears.
Who are the Immortals?
The development of new crops like these two, along with new technology for hard metals, characterized the new civilization in Greece.
What are olives and grapes?
The city besieged by the Greeks in "The Iliad."
What is Troy?
These were the primary materials used for weapons and implements in the Mycenaean period, as found by archaeologists.
What is bronze?
This geographic feature provided the Greeks with a tactical advantage over the Persians at Marathon.
What are the hills?
The type of narrow terrain chosen by the Greeks to neutralize the Persian numerical advantage.
What is a pass?
The outcome for the Persian navy after being tricked into the narrow passage.
What is a disaster and defeat for the Persians?
The Persian defeat at Plataea effectively ended their ambitions in this region.
What is mainland Greece?
The lightweight arrows used by Persian archers were largely ineffective against these heavily-armored Greek soldiers unless fired at close range.
Who are hoplites?
This goddess of love, daughter of Zeus, protected Helen and rescued Paris from Menelaus in book three of the Iliad.
Who is Aphrodite?
The Greek hero whose anger is a central theme of "The Iliad."
Who is Achilles?
The Mycenaean use of these in warfare was misunderstood by later poets, who depicted them differently.
What are chariots?
This Greek historian noted that even the name "Persians" was a fearful thing for Greeks to hear before the battle.
Who is Herodotus?
The Persian king who led the invasion against the Greeks at Thermopylae.
Who is Xerxes?
The objective of the Greek naval tactics aimed at the weakest points of enemy ships.
What is puncturing a hole in the enemy vessel or breaking their oars?
The Persian army was particularly reliant on this type of unit, which the Greeks aimed to neutralize.
What is cavalry?
To optimize their cavalry advantage and the mobility of their lighter-armored troops, Persians needed to entice the enemy onto this type of terrain.
What is flat land?
Known as the archer god and the cause of plagues, he sent a plague upon the Achaeans in the opening scene of the Iliad.
Who is Apollo?
The Trojan hero and greatest warrior who faces Achilles in battle.
Who is Hector?
These graves, common in Mycenaean times, were not known to Homer’s poets who described cremation instead.
What are shaft graves and beehive tombs?
The next day after the battle, these warriors arrived to see the battlefield, marking their first sight of a Persian defeat.
Who are the Spartans?
Firing so many arrows that they blocked out the sun.
What was the Persian archers' tactic?
The defensive measure taken by commanders to protect against Greek naval tactics.
What is ensuring a flank is protected by shallows or coastline?
This Persian general commanded the forces against the Greeks at Plataea.
Who is Mardonius?
Despite Persian success in previous contests, this battle demonstrated that organized Greek hoplites were difficult to defeat.
What is the Battle of Thermopylae?
The divine smith and god of fire who made marvelous armor for Achilles at Thetis' request in book eighteen.
Who is Hephaistos?
The friend of Achilles whose death prompts him to return to battle.
Who is Patroclus?
Evidence of writing in the Mycenaean world comes from these tablets, absent in Homer’s epics.
What are Linear B tablets?
Ran from Marathon to ask the Spartans for help
I am Pheidippides
The Spartan king who led the Greek forces and met his fate at Thermopylae.
Who is Leonidas?
The overall effect of the Greek naval victory on Xerxes' invasion plans.
What is forcing Xerxes' army to evacuate Greece due to loss of sea control?
He was the Spartan commander who led the Greek forces at the Battle of Plataea.
Who is Pausanias?
Greek hoplites primarily fought at close quarters using these two types of weapons.
What are spears and swords?
A kind of violent arrogance which comes upon men when they see themselves as more than human and behave as though they were divine.
What is hubris?
The prize taken from Achilles by Agamemnon, causing Achilles to withdraw from battle.
Who is Briseis?
Homer’s depiction of kings aligns more with this post-Mycenaean era.
What is the Dark Ages?
This Athenian commander was known as a Persian expert and led the Greeks at the Battle of Marathon.
Who is Miltiades?
The Greek who betrayed his country by showing the Persians a path to outflank the Greeks.
Who is Ephialtes?
The tactic used by Persian ships that made them vulnerable in the narrow passage.
What is becoming tightly packed and unable to maneuver?
The victory at Plataea helped to preserve this form of government in many Greek city-states.
What is democracy?
Persian infantry carried this lightweight type of shield, which was less effective against the heavy weaponry of Greek hoplites.
What is a wicker shield?
A warrior goddess and protectress of Odysseus, she restrained Achilles from killing Agamemnon in book one.
Who is Pallas Athene?
The king of Troy, father of Hector and Paris.
Who is Priam?
Scholars argue that this part of the Iliad, listing towns and ships, contains genuine Mycenaean details.
What is the Catalogue of Ships?
Miltiades weakened this part of his line to prevent being outflanked by the Persians.
What is the center?
The year when the Battle of Thermopylae took place.
What is 480 BC?
The final destination of the remaining Persian ships after their defeat.
What is Asia Minor?
The Greek strategy involved luring the Persians onto this type of terrain to negate their cavalry advantage.
What is rough and hilly terrain?
A small group of people having control of a country or organization.
What is an oligarchy?
This Greek term refers to excellence and includes qualities like courage, strength, and the ability to speak well, exemplified by heroes like Odysseus.
What is arete?
The Greek king and brother of Menelaus who leads the Greek forces against Troy.
Who is Agamemnon?
This archaeologist's excavations convinced scholars that there was a real Troy and Mycenae.
Who is Heinrich Schliemann?
The Persians set up camp near this type of terrain, which hindered their escape during the battle.
What is a marsh?
The duration the Greeks were able to hold off the Persian onslaught before realizing defeat was inevitable.
What are two days?
The significant role of Greek hoplites in the aftermath of the naval battle.
What is transferring to the mainland to defeat Persian land forces?
This maneuver, involving a feigned retreat, was used by the Greeks to break the Persian lines.
What is a strategic withdrawal?
This term refers to a provincial governor in the ancient Persian empire, who had considerable power and autonomy.
What is a Satrap?
The god of war, lover of Aphrodite, and described by Zeus as "the most hateful of all gods who hold Olympus."
Who is Ares?
The Greek hero known for his cunning and for devising the idea of the Trojan Horse.
Who is Odysseus?
According to the text, Homer’s queens are primarily involved in this domestic activity.
What is weaving cloth?
This was the primary motivation for most Athenians to favour fighting outside the city rather than defending it.
What is protecting their farms in Attica?
The ultimate fate of Leonidas' body after the battle.
What is decapitation and attachment to a pole?
The Athenian commander who tricked Xerxes into battle by sending a false message.
Who is Themistocles?
After the battle, the Greeks constructed a victory monument at this sanctuary to commemorate their success.
What is Delphi?
The pre-Islamic religion of ancient Persia.
What is Zoroastrianism?
This goddess of the hunt and sister of Apollo was appeased by Agamemnon's sacrifice of his daughter, Iphigeneia.
Who is Artemis?
The wife of Hector, who mourns his death.
Who is Andromache?
This term, used by Homer for Agamemnon, signifies his role as the supreme commander.
What is Wanax?
This was the ultimate consequence the Greeks believed they avoided by winning the Battle of Marathon.
What is slavery?
The phrase indicating the Spartans' readiness for battle and acceptance of their fate as told by Leonidas.
What is "Eat a good breakfast men, because your next meal will be in hell"?
The cryptic oracle of Apollo at Delphi's prophecy that was proven right by the Greek naval victory.
What is "only a wooden wall will keep you safe"?
According to Herodotus, the Greeks found and took this valuable Persian item after the battle.
What is a large amount of gold?