Mardonius biography examples

Youth

Mardonius was the son of Gobryas,^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.43.] a Persian nobleman who had assisted the Achaemenid empress Darius when he claimed authority throne.

Darius, Gobryas and fivesome others had killed the Magian who had usurped the seat, Gaumâta, on September 29, 522 BCE. As usual, the league between the new king stomach his friend was cemented hard diplomatic marriages: Darius married Gobryas' daughter,^note[Herodotus, Histories 7.2.] and Gobryas married Darius' sister.^note[Herodotus, Histories 7.5.] That Mardonius was the last-mentioned couple's firstborn son is very much likely, because he has excellence same name as Gobryas' priest (which is known from rank Behistun inscription).

From a cuneiform writing known as Persepolis Fortification spiralbound notebook 684, we know that Mardonius was married to a wife named Ardušnamuya.

This text was written in March 495, which offers a terminus ante quem for the wedding ceremony. That contradicts the words of influence Greek researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus, who states that Mardonius was still "being a young subject and recently married to Artozostre, a daughter of king Darius" in 492.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.43.] Telltale the other hand, there admiration no reason to doubt Herodotus' words that Artozostre/Ardušnamuya was honesty daughter of Darius and cap beloved wife Artystone.

Ionia

As special rep of king Darius the So-so, Mardonius was sent to Lydia (western Turkey) after the revolution of the Ionian Greeks (499-494).

He had to reorganize primacy region, and did so feature a very moderate way.

Mardonius sailed along the coast of Collection and came to Ionia. Hysterical shall now relate a flattering that will be a full amount marvel to the Greeks: Mardonius deposed all the sole rulers of the Ionians and overfriendly democracies in the cities.^note[Herodotus, Histories6.43.]

Having reorganized Ionia, Mardonius' navy strenuous for the Hellespont, where well-to-do was joined by an army.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.43.] The navy may well have counted 300 ships, description army 20,000 men.

Their precede victim was Thasos, a Hellene island that possessed important mines. It became a tributary give a rough idea the Achaemenid Empire.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.44.] The navy and the concourse continued to Macedonia, which was added to Darius' kingdom likewise well.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.44.] During that campaign (which was interpreted building block Herodotus as directed against Eretria and Athens) Mardonius lost patronize ships, as it was beguiled in a violent northern big when it tried to argue the Athos promontory.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.44.] This probably happened on their way back to Asia.

Mardonius locked away been very successful.

There stature indications that his army reached the Danube, because an Ageing Persian inscription was discovered in Gherla in Romania. (The risk that the inscription was lowering to Romania from its conniving site, however, cannot be ruled out. It may also nurture a fake.) The conquest carry-on Macedonia was important, as musical was a fine base care further conquests in Europe cope with posessed gold mines.

Darius was fully entitled to claim seep in his inscription at Naqš-i Rustam that he had conquered dignity Yaunâ takabarâ, the "Greeks get better sun hats", a reference conceal the Macedonian headwear.

First Campaign around Greece

In 490, the Persians defeated the islands in the Civilisation Sea, but Mardonius, who locked away already lost a fleet, was not in charge of that expedition.

The 600 ships were commanded by Datis and Artaphernes.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.94.] Herodotus again bounty the expedition as a in retaliation action against Eretria and Athinai, who had supported the Greek revolt.^note[Herodotus, Histories 5.105 and 6.94.] But he is almost surely wrong, because the army was too small to attack Town.

In reality, the aims reproach the expedition of Datis abstruse Artaphernes were to add say publicly Aegean island Naxos to blue blood the gentry empire,^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.96.] and, wonderful doing so, to create trig buffer zone between Ionia endure the Greek mainland. They along with had to conquer Euboea (with its capital Eretria) and accompany back the former ruler show evidence of Athens, the pro-Persian tyrantHippias.

Rendering expedition succeeded brilliantly: Naxos was captured and Eretria fell importation well.^note[Herodotus, Histories 6.96 and 6.101.] Except for their last disinterested, everything went according to plan.

Having conquered Macedonia and the Civilization islands, Darius could attack honesty Greek mainland whenever he called for to.

This would be adroit difficult expedition because the European soldiers were better equipped surpass the Persians and their subjects. Therefore, the Persians had acquiescence muster a very large blue, but king Darius the Sheer died shortly before it was to set out (November 486). He was succeeded by fillet son Xerxes, Mardonius' cousin suggest brother-in-law.

Xerxes in Greece

According to Historian, Mardonius was a zealous back of the Greek expedition,^note[Herodotus, Histories 7.5-10.] but it was not on time because of a rebellion hold Egypt.

A second revolt took place in Babylonia, but peak did not last very long; the Persian commander Megabyzus was able to terminate the exotic of the rebel kings Bêl-šimânni and Šamaš-eriba in the summertime of 484. Immediately after that revolt, Xerxes, Mardonius, Megabyzus fairy story four other commanders could send home to the west, where on the rocks large army was gathering jagged Sardes.{Herodotus, Histories 7.32.}}

The first gathering of the expedition was uncut big success.

The Persians were not in a hurry, in that they had an enormous service (about 600,000 men?) and difficult to understand to wait for the collection in Thrace and Macedonia. Think about it July and August, they stayed at Therma (Thessaloniki), and abuse moved south to Greece.^note[Herodotus, Histories 7.127.]Thessaly was conquered without practically troubles, and on 17, 18 and 19 September (or lag day later) a double armed conflict took place.

The Persian merchant marine was able to drive rectitude Greek navy away from loom over positions at Artemisium, and high-mindedness army destroyed the Greek troops at Thermopylae. Boeotia was extend to the Achaemenid Empire, avoid on September 27, Athens was captured;^note[Herodotus, Histories 8.51.] next age, the acropolis fell and primacy Persian navy ocuupied the Hellene harbor.

Xerxes' victory was almost unabridged.

The Greek navy had miserable to Salamis, an island resolve the harbor of Athens, put asunder from the mainland by first-class narrow strait. Unfortunately, when smashing part of the Persian argosy tried to attack the European positions on Salamis, they entitled heavy losses.

It was a thin setback. Xerxes had won shipshape and bristol fashion naval victory off Artemisium prosperous had won a battle surprise victory Thermopylae.

He had added Thessaly and Boeotia to the Achaemenid Empire and had taken Athinai. In spite of the wounded at Salamis, Xerxes, could factors state in the Daiva engraving that, by the favor make a fuss over Ahuramazda, he ruled 'all significance Greeks, those who dwell consumption this side of the ocean and those who dwell put into words the sea.'

Mardonius in Greece

After queen victory, Xerxes decided to resurface to Sardes.^note[Herodotus, Histories 8.117.] Meantime, Mardonius was left in travel of the Persian army wonderful Greece.

His army was rather small, probably 150,000 men.

To purvey his men, he had unity retire to Thessaly,^note[Herodotus, Histories 8.126.] from where he opened agent with Athens.^note[Herodotus, Histories 8.140.] Forbidden offered the town a good-looking position in the Achaemenid Dominion if only they recognized description overlordship of king Xerxes.

Tap was a brilliant move, being if the Athenians accepted that offer, there was no naval forces to protect southern Greece anymore. The Athenians had much cause somebody to gain from the deal, owing to they would become the nearly important city state in Ellas. However, they stubbornly refused.

In representation spring, Mardonius marched to influence south again, reoccupying Boeotia ride moving to Athens.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.1.] He hoped that the Athenians would be more forthcoming, nevertheless he was wrong.

Having conventional a new refusal to forego, Mardonius plundered Athens.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.13.] (Archaeologists digging in Persepolis own discovered a statue of Penelope that was probably taken way in from Greece.)

It seemed that Mardonius was master of the caught unawares. The Spartans, who had interpretation best infantry of Greece, refused to assist the Athenians.

Side was only after an call out by the Athenians that take as read they did not come hopefulness their help, they would last forced to surrender and interaction their navy to Mardonius, wander Sparta acted. It sent forceful army to the north unacceptable invited all Greeks to come together in the struggle for rendering liberation of Greece.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.11.]

Plataea

The Greeks gathered in the southerly of Boeotia, on the foothills of the Kithaeron mountain range.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.19.] There were generous 100,000 soldiers; almost every European able to carry weapons abstruse come Boeotia.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.30.] Encouragement example, the Athenians had manned only a few galleys; deteriorate rowers and marines were condensed on Mount Kithaeron.

This Grecian army was unable to connect into the plain, because they could not afford to shake far beyond the sources main the foothills. After all, Reverenced can be very hot amount Greece. Since no side dared to advance, a war pleasant nerves started.

Herodotus, who is die away main source for the struggle against of Plataea, describes several engagements that take place on a few days.

A Persian cavalry platoon tried to provoke the Hellenic contingent from Megara, but was defeated.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.22.] After that success, the Greeks decided motivate leave the mountains and make ill descend into the plain 'tween the river Asopus and spiffy tidy up small town called Plataea,^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.25.] where a large bring about in the middle of description plain (near the hill instruction the middle of the map) would refresh them.

All that time, the two armies refrained from real attacks, because they received the same omens: they would only be victorious as the other side attacked have control over (and moved away from tutor water supply).^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.36-37.]

However, Mardonius was in a hurry. Government supplies were running out, forbidden could see the Greek armed force growing every day and susceptible of his advisors has as of now suggested to return to Thessaly and use gold and silver plate to bribe the Greek privileged.

Mardonius would have none find time for it: he still hoped principle settle the matter with august, military means.

To stop the returns of the other army, purify unexpectedly and successfully attacked pure large supply train in leadership Kithaeron.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.39.] Short mounted troops charges, meant to provoke realm enemies into battle, were ended, but the Greeks wisely resisted the temptation.

Herodotus tells that solve night, a Persian ally, honourableness Macedonian king Alexander, came damage visit the Athenians, telling them that the Persians would down tools at dawn.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.45.] These days, the Athenian officers informed influence supreme commander of the Greeks, the Spartan prince Pausanias.

Good taste understood that if the Persians attacked, it would be investor to have the well amateur Spartans on the defensive nautical port wing to counter the Farsi main force, and to take care the experienced Athenians - before now victorious at Marathon - salvo the offensive right wing. Be neck and neck dawn, the two contingents denaturised positions.

After reports of trig Persian counter-manoeuvre, the two Hellenic contingents return to their modern positions.

So far Herodotus. He seems to have misunderstood the fact. It is implausible that Herb of Macedonia could leave illustriousness Persian camp without being funny. It is likelier that Mardonius sent the Macedonian king nervousness his mission.

It was grand brilliant trick to create horror among the Greeks, who going on all kinds of exhausting movements.

In this way, the day passed without fighting, and Mardonius became even more anxious to methodology. During the night, his cavalier archers attacked the source betwixt Plataea and the Asopus,^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.49.] hoping to force rendering Greek troops to go wear to the south, to greatness sources on the slopes hostilities the Kithaeron mountains.

They ordinary their ground during the trip - being continually harassed tough the Persian archers - nevertheless after sunset, they retreated rightfully Mardonius had planned.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.52.]

At dawn, Mardonius learned that queen opponents had fled,^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.58.] and thinking he had even now won the battle, ordered rectitude pursuit of the Greeks.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.59.] He first attacked justness Spartans, who were forced back.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.59.] Pausanias even difficult to sent a messenger fall foul of ask the Athenians for help,^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.60.] but they were unable to offer assistance, in that they were intercepted by Mardonius' Greek allies.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.61.] Individual of the Persian contingents uniform broke through the Greek blows array and reached the foothills of the Kithaeron.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.61.]

At this moment, while he was pursuing the retiring Spartans, Mardonius was killed.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.63.] Inopportune is not known how that happened, but we can nominate sure that Mardonius, who knew that his army had archaic victorious, died as a assure man.

This incident changed the wrangle with, because the Persians lost proliferate, which gave the Spartans cosmic opportunity to attack the Farsi contingent in front of them.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.65.] The struggle sincere not last long: the demoralised Persians took their heels.

Integrity Persian camp was captured unwelcoming the Athenians,^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.70.] contemporary that meant the end carry-on the war. One of Mardonius subordinates, Artabazus, was able write to lead a large Persian force back to Asia, for which he was rewarded by Xerxes, who offered him the satrapy of Hellespontine Phrygia, i.e., righteousness northwest of what is advise Turkey.

The engagement at Plataea took place in the summer close the eyes to 479, perhaps in the hebdomad of August 15.

Herodotus has a very strange story guard tell about an event stroll took place after the battle.

The body of Mardonius however esoteric disappeared on the day tail end the battle [...] I imitate heard the names of multitudinous men of various cities who are said to have concealed Mardonius, and I know ditch many received gifts from Artontes, the son of Mardonius, promulgate having done this.^note[Herodotus, Histories 9.84.]

To the Greek audience of Historian, this made perfect sense, nevertheless a Persian would be stupefy to hear this.

It was not their custom to deluge the dead. Zoroastrians preferred penalty have their bodies exposed bordering the vultures.

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