What is the meaning of Plataea?

Plataea. / (pləˈtiːə) / noun. an ancient city in S Boeotia, traditionally an ally of Athens: scene of the defeat of a great Persian army by the Greeks in 479 bc.

What is Plataea in ancient Greece?

Plataea, ancient city of Boeotia, Greece. It was situated on a triangular ledge 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, on the northern side of Mount Cithaeron below the modern village of Plataiaí.

What is Plataea known for?

In 479 BC Plataea was the site of the final battle that repelled the second Persian invasion of Greece. According to Herodotus, the Spartan general Pausanias led an allied Greek defense against Mardonius' Persian forces.

What happened at Battle of Plataea?

The Battle of Plataea was the final land battle during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It was a decisive victory for the Greeks as it ended that war. The battle was in 479 BC near the city of Plataea in Boeotia.

Who led the Spartans at Plataea?

Offering one last sacrifice and a prayer to the heavens in front of the Temple of Hera, Pausanias finally received favourable omens and gave the command for the Spartans to advance, whereupon they also charged the Persian lines.

The Battle of Plataea Explained in 5 Minutes

Who commanded the Greeks at Plataea?

The Greek Army at Plataea. The Greek army was led by Pausanias, the nephew of King Leonidas who fell at Thermopylae, and regent for the young king, Leonidas' son Pleistarchus. Secondary commanders included the two Athenian generals Aristides and Xanthippus, the father of Pericles.

How many Greek soldiers fought in Plataea?

According to Herodotus, the Greek hoplite forces for the Battle of Plataea were divided as follows: 8,000 Athenians; 5,000 Corinthians; 5,000 Lacedaemonians; 5,000 Spartans, 3,000 Megarians; and 3,000 Sicyonians.

When was the Battle of Plataea?

Battle of Plataea, (July 479 bce). Following the Greek naval success at the Battle of Salamis in 480 bce, Persian King Xerxes left Greece with much of his army.

How was Mardonius killed?

Plataea and death of Mardonius

Mardonius was killed in the ensuing battle by the Spartans (see Battle of Plataea). It is claimed by Herodotus and Plutarch a Plataean called Aeimnestus killed Mardonius. This led to his army breaking up.

Why did the Greek allies commit to the oath of Plataea?

The Oath of Plataea

The allies swore that they would leave in ruins any temples de- stroyed by the Persians until their enemies had been once and for all defeated in battle, in order to remind them of the atrocities committed by their enemies.

Did Sparta win against Persia?

Although the Greeks finally beat the Persians in the Battle of Platea in 479 B.C., thus ending the Greco-Persian Wars, many scholars attribute the eventual Greek success over the Persians to the Spartans' defense at Thermopylae.

Who won the Persian war?

Who won the Persian Wars? The alliance of Greek city-states, which included Athens and Sparta, won the Persian Wars against Persia from 490 to 480 BCE.

How many people died in the Plataea war?

Answer and Explanation: According to the ancient Greek historian, Herodotus, there were about 257,000 casualties and losses during the Battle of Plataea. Modern historians, however, put the number of casualties and losses at the battle between 50,000-90,000.

What does mardonius do to Athens in 479?

He unsuccessfully attempted to separate Athens from the other Greek allies, and, withdrawing from Attica, he finally was defeated and killed in battle at Plataea in September 479.

What did Pausanias do?

Pausanias commanded the allied Greek army that defeated the Persians at Plataea (479), and he led the Greeks in the capture of Byzantium (478). While Pausanias was at Byzantium, his arrogance and his adoption of Persian clothing and manners offended the allies and raised suspicions of disloyalty.

What does Herodotus say about the Battle of Plataea?

Herodotus tells that in order to avoid coming under Theban hegemony Plataea offered to "put themselves into Spartan hands". However, the Spartans refused this offer and, wishing to cause mischief between the Boeotian's and Athens, recommended that the Plataea's ally themselves with Athens instead.