History
Battle of Plataea: The Fight for Ancient Greece
The decisive final land battle of the second Persian invasion of Greece, where allied Greek city-states secured their independence.
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What is it?
The Battle of Plataea was the final major land battle during the second Persian invasion of Greece, fought in 479 BCE near the city of Plataea in Boeotia. It pitted an alliance of Greek city-states, including Sparta, Athens, Corinth, and Megara, against the invading Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. Following the Persian naval defeat at Salamis the previous year, Xerxes had returned to Persia, leaving his general Mardonius to complete the conquest. The Greeks assembled a massive hoplite army, the largest of the war, under the command of the Spartan regent Pausanias to confront the remaining Persian forces.
Why is it trending?
Though less famous than Thermopylae or Marathon, Plataea was arguably more significant. This battle effectively ended the Persian ambition of conquering mainland Greece. The decisive Greek victory, which saw Mardonius killed and the Persian army routed, marked a major turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. Along with the near-simultaneous naval victory at Mycale, Plataea ensured the survival of Greek independence and culture. This allowed Greek civilization to flourish, laying the foundational principles of Western culture in philosophy, politics, and art.
How does it affect people?
The victory at Plataea had a profound impact on the course of history. By repelling the Persian invasion for good, it secured the freedom of the Greek city-states. This allowed for the subsequent golden age of Athens and the continued development of democratic ideals. The battle shifted the momentum of the wars, enabling the Greeks to go on the offensive against Persia. For the Persians, the defeat marked a halt to their westward expansion. The outcome ensured that Greek culture, rather than Persian, would be the dominant influence on the future of Europe and the Western world.