THE RISE OF PERSIA AND THE FIRST GRECO-PERSIAN WARS: The Expansion of the Achaemenid Empire and the Battle of Marathon

1-230500

Examines the first Greco-Persian War and the Persian invasion of Greece. Describes the invasion in great detail, analyses the Persian king's immense (even if occasionally exaggerated) army, and considers its composition and logistical constraints, the discusses the campaign leading to Marathon and the decisive battle itself. Includes 28 color maps.

Provides the Persian perspective and sets the war in the context of the rise of Achaemenid Persia as the superpower of the day and the expansion of their empire into Europe. Starts with the earlier Persian campaigns in Europe. The Ionian Revolt against Persian rule, by the Greeks of Asia Minor, was instrumental in provoking Darius I, the Persian King of Kings to order the invasion of Greece. Ostensibly this was to punish the Greeks, and more specifically the Athenians, for their support of the Revolt and to contain further insurgencies, but in truth he wished to achieve world dominance.