Why did the Greeks defeat the Persians?

The Greek victory within the Persian Wars was overall due to various attributions that aided the Hellenic cause. By bonding 23 separate city-states into a single entity, the Greeks were able to fight in complete unity in a superior manner under the harsh regiment of various influential and skilled leaders, (Themistocles) prone to manipulating various factors in favour of the Hellenic cause. Through such, various strategic methods were created and adapted for each battle in an attempt to exploit any assets available to the Greek cause within majority of the Battles (eg, Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis). Through such crucial factors, it is coherent of the major components, which aided the Greeks in defeating the Persians on mainland Greece. One of the vital attributions that aided Greek victory in the Persian Wars was the overall supremacy of the hoplite troops in comparison to the Persians. Though the Greek numbers were overall inferior in numbers in comparison to the Persian forces, their superior nature dealt a fatal blow in the fate and consequence of the Persian Wars. By effectively minimising their enemies numerical superiority in a unified effort, the strength of the Greek forces are overall acknowledged in comparison to the ineffective fortitude of the Persians. The extensive and conscripted multinational army of the Persian forces exhibit poor skills on the battlefield, emphasising issues of communication and expertise leading to an unmethodical battlefield. Through such difficulties in moving as a single entity, the mass numbers of the Persian forces became more a hindrance than an advantage. The hoplite superiority over the disorganised yet massive Persian force is seen demonstrated at the Battle of Marathon, where the strategic notion of minimising the enemys numerical superiority to effectively dismantle and defeat the Persian troops. Under the guidance of Miltiades, the phalanx formation of the Athenian forces adjusted to compensate the numerical disadvantage by strengthening the wings of the formation and weakening the centre. Though inevitably inferior in terms of size, the Athenian forces with their superior skills and prowess were able to encircle and therefore entrap the monumental opposition. The superior power of such Greek forces ensured both offensive and defensive tactics in aid of the Hellenic cause, where the well-disciplined hoplites overall emphasis how such a force significantly impacted in favour of the Greeks, through the strategy of minimising enemy numerical superiority. An influential factor that thoroughly determined the course of the Persian Wars was the effective leadership from both parties, where the insightful gestures of Greek leaders significantly impacting the overall results. Miltiades, key leader at the Battle of Marathon, effectively reformed the leadership of the Athenian troops whom under the guidance of Callimachus failed to employ their advantageous state. Though such troops lacked the numerical superiority the Persians sported, the overall skill of the hoplites and the finer weaponry they exhibited aided the leadership of Miltiades at Marathon, overall overwhelming the Persians; both at the site and the mainland. Failing to exploit their numerical superiority to their advantage, the Persian forces were at an impediment lacking strategies to harness such an asset. Xerxes possessed such power within his forces however failed to exploit such, reaffirming his failure to understand and incompetence in learning from mistakes, particularly at the Battle of Salamis. With the Greek forces utilising their strategies in minimising enemy numerical superiority by manipulating their geographical context to their advantage, Xerxes failed to acknowledge the notion that similar tactics were employed at previous battles. In comparison, Themistocles

Why did the Greeks defeat the Persians?

during the Inter-war period to the Battle of Salamis exposed various effective reforms in aid of the Greek cause in the Persian Wars. By aiding the insightful expansion of the Greek cause at the Congress of Isthmus, and encouraging the Laurium wealth into the growth of the Athenian naval policy, Themistocles provided effective leadership in guiding the Greek forces to favourable conditions, which were suited and overall more advantageous to their state. By transforming the Athenian fleet into the most resilient force in the Greek navy, Themistocles thoroughly aided the Hellenic forces and thus, significantly assisted the major turning point of the Persian Wars. The effective strategies utilised by various influential leaders within the Greek forces over the duration of the Persian Wars on mainland Greece, thoroughly aided Greek victory. By exploiting and utilising various favourable circumstances in majority of the battles fought (with the exception of Plataea), the Greek forces were overall successful in employing the geographical context to their advantage. The exploitation of their home ground advantage was demonstrated at both the Battles of Thermopylae and Salamis where the knowledge of such context provided a beneficial advantage. Though these two battles contrast in results, the overall strategy in minimising enemy numerical superiority was applied with reference to entrapping the large Persian forces in a secluded region, effectively cutting down the large conscript army. Such notion was seen at Thermopylae where Leonidas 300 Spartans cornered the vast and advantageous opposing forces into the narrow pathways of the mountainous terrain, effectively damaging the Persian numbers. Though this battle was mainly fought as a delaying tactic to permit citizens of Athens to evacuate under the Troezen Decree, the token force demonstrated effective tactics overall detaining the enemy. Though the following loss resulted in the deprivation of central Greece, the strategic effort at Thermopylae can be interpreted as a success through maintaining designated motive in hindering the Persian forces. The battle of Salamis displays similar strategies in limiting the quantity of Persian troops within a naval context. By utilising knowledge of the geographical context, the Greek fleet thoroughly outflanked the Persian Navy. The Athenian naval policy was shown as the primary dominant force of the Greek fleet, effectively leading the other triremes in superior manoeuvrability to encircle and ram the inexperience Persian Navy. With the inferior 370 triremes to the 1200 (approximately) Persian ships, tactics such as utilising Xerxes hubris and luring the fleet into the narrow bays of Salamis proved to effectively destroy the opposing ships. Through employing such beneficial and advantageous strategically schemes, the Greek forces are shown to successfully manipulate and utilise their geographical context to their benefit in minimising their enemys numerical superiority, overall aiding the Greek cause in the Persian War. Overall, through the main arguments as to how the Greeks won the Persian Wars lie solemly on the notions that they sported superior hoplites in comparison to Persian troops, worthy and intelligent leaders whom were able to exploit advantages to aid their state and the effective strategies that were able to present the Greek forces with a worthy advantage. Through such long-term aspects, the notions of superior soldiers, leadership and tactics are shown as the crucial factors in determining the fate of the Persian Wars in favour of the Greeks.