Themistocles and his followers rejoiced immensely when the Persian
retreat was apparent. After making certain that Xerxes and most of his
forces had indeed gone, he resolved that they should return to Athens.
The city was in ruins. All the temples were destroyed and the homes
abandoned and in disrepair. Laboriously, they began its reconstruction.
Their spirits high after the tremendous victory against all odds, the
soldier returned to his civilian abilities and pursuits with renewed
vigor.
Mardonius had retreated to the north, they knew. That
gave the Athenians a respite. They worked peacefully and industriously,
until they had made great progress toward the reconstruction of the
temples. Most homes were promptly repaired as well.
Mardonius
meanwhile, began negotiating, bribing and otherwise attempting to
divide the Greeks. A tactic as old as time, he did everything he could
to foster jealousy between one city and another. He kept at it for
months, all through the winter. He knew that the northern cities were
jealous of Athens and Sparta, as well as of each other. He knew they
were the most susceptible to intrigue.
In the end, he
succeeded in recruiting Thebes away from the Hellenic Confederacy, to
help them in their fight against Athens. The Thebes were a formidable
force of valiant men, a tough enemy for Athens. Fighting Greeks in
addition to the barbaric hordes from Asia introduced a new dimension
into this epic struggle for survival.
Mardonius continued his
preparations, negotiations and bribing through the spring. When summer
came, he began to march south. The Spartans were not ready to oppose
them; neither were the Athenians.
A scant ten months after
their reconstruction began, the Athenians were obliged to once more
retreat to their vessels and abandon the city. It is not hard to
imagine the sorrow they must have felt, seeing that all their hard
labor had been for naught. Still, their survival demanded it and, as
free, thinking citizens, they cooperated.
Mardonius reached a
deserted Athens and his frustration knew no limit. This time, to vent
his anger, he ordered the razing of the entire city, not only the
religious buildings. Thus, practically every structure was totally
destroyed during the Mardonius occupation.
After destroying
Athens, he retreated toward Thebes. He knew that he could not reach the
Athenians while they were in their ships and he decided to plan his
assault on Sparta. Mardonius went to Plataea, a short distance from
Thebes, where he built a wooden fort to house his army and provide
means of defense, if necessary.
The Spartans continued their
preparations. The Athenians took arms once more and prepared to march
against Thebes, the toughest enemy yet encountered, as it was Greek
against Greek. Having come this far and inspired by past victories,
both the Spartans and the Athenians were certain of their ultimate
victory. Their morale was high and the stake was survival. The
Confederacy put together the largest force the Greeks ever assembled,
estimated at between 100,000 and 110,000 men, under the command of the
Spartan King Pausanius. They decided to wait no longer. Sparta marched
toward Thebes, so did the Athenians, but as two separate armies, both
supported and accompanied by their allies.
King Pausanius and
his men marched a few days to Plataea, where they met the Persians in
the field. During eleven days, the armies contemplated each other.
Mardonius was not eager to attack; neither were the Spartans, they were
offering sacrifice and waiting for a good omen. Pausanius realized that
his water supply was scarce and ordered a retreat to resupply. This
created disorder in the Greek forces and the three main divisions
became separated as they retreated to higher ground.
To be continued…
retreat was apparent. After making certain that Xerxes and most of his
forces had indeed gone, he resolved that they should return to Athens.
The city was in ruins. All the temples were destroyed and the homes
abandoned and in disrepair. Laboriously, they began its reconstruction.
Their spirits high after the tremendous victory against all odds, the
soldier returned to his civilian abilities and pursuits with renewed
vigor.
Mardonius had retreated to the north, they knew. That
gave the Athenians a respite. They worked peacefully and industriously,
until they had made great progress toward the reconstruction of the
temples. Most homes were promptly repaired as well.
Mardonius
meanwhile, began negotiating, bribing and otherwise attempting to
divide the Greeks. A tactic as old as time, he did everything he could
to foster jealousy between one city and another. He kept at it for
months, all through the winter. He knew that the northern cities were
jealous of Athens and Sparta, as well as of each other. He knew they
were the most susceptible to intrigue.
In the end, he
succeeded in recruiting Thebes away from the Hellenic Confederacy, to
help them in their fight against Athens. The Thebes were a formidable
force of valiant men, a tough enemy for Athens. Fighting Greeks in
addition to the barbaric hordes from Asia introduced a new dimension
into this epic struggle for survival.
Mardonius continued his
preparations, negotiations and bribing through the spring. When summer
came, he began to march south. The Spartans were not ready to oppose
them; neither were the Athenians.
A scant ten months after
their reconstruction began, the Athenians were obliged to once more
retreat to their vessels and abandon the city. It is not hard to
imagine the sorrow they must have felt, seeing that all their hard
labor had been for naught. Still, their survival demanded it and, as
free, thinking citizens, they cooperated.
Mardonius reached a
deserted Athens and his frustration knew no limit. This time, to vent
his anger, he ordered the razing of the entire city, not only the
religious buildings. Thus, practically every structure was totally
destroyed during the Mardonius occupation.
After destroying
Athens, he retreated toward Thebes. He knew that he could not reach the
Athenians while they were in their ships and he decided to plan his
assault on Sparta. Mardonius went to Plataea, a short distance from
Thebes, where he built a wooden fort to house his army and provide
means of defense, if necessary.
The Spartans continued their
preparations. The Athenians took arms once more and prepared to march
against Thebes, the toughest enemy yet encountered, as it was Greek
against Greek. Having come this far and inspired by past victories,
both the Spartans and the Athenians were certain of their ultimate
victory. Their morale was high and the stake was survival. The
Confederacy put together the largest force the Greeks ever assembled,
estimated at between 100,000 and 110,000 men, under the command of the
Spartan King Pausanius. They decided to wait no longer. Sparta marched
toward Thebes, so did the Athenians, but as two separate armies, both
supported and accompanied by their allies.
King Pausanius and
his men marched a few days to Plataea, where they met the Persians in
the field. During eleven days, the armies contemplated each other.
Mardonius was not eager to attack; neither were the Spartans, they were
offering sacrifice and waiting for a good omen. Pausanius realized that
his water supply was scarce and ordered a retreat to resupply. This
created disorder in the Greek forces and the three main divisions
became separated as they retreated to higher ground.
To be continued…
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