Battle of Plataea

The Battle of Plataea was a decisive land conflict in 479 BC. It served as the final major land battle of the second Persian invasion of Greece. The fighting took place near the city of Plataea in the region of Boeotia.

This battle involved an alliance of Greek city-states known as the Allies. This group included Sparta, Athens, Corinth, and Megara. They fought against the Achaemenid Empire. The empire was led by the general Mardonius. This battle was a turning point for the independence of the Greek states.

The conflict followed a series of intense military engagements. Earlier, the Persian King Xerxes I prepared for invasion by building two pontoon bridges across the Hellespont. In 480 BC, a small Allied army led by King Leonidas I held the pass of Thermopylae for three days. After being outflanked, the Persians moved on to sack the cities of Plataea and Thespiae. They also took the evacuated city of Athens. However, the Greek navy won a major victory at the Battle of Salamis. This naval victory caused Xerxes to retreat to Sardis with a portion of his army.

Mardonius remained in Greece to finish the conquest. He spent the winter in Thessaly and even tried to win over the Athenians through mediation. When the Athenians refused, the Persians marched south again. The Greeks eventually assembled a massive army to defend themselves. They marched out of the Peloponnesus to face the Persians in Boeotia. The Persians built a fortified camp near Plataea. For eleven days, the two sides reached a stalemate. The Greeks refused to enter the open terrain where the Persian cavalry had an advantage.

The Greek forces were led by the Spartan general Pausanias. He acted as the regent for his cousin, Pleistarchus. The Greek army included various types of soldiers. The Spartans sent 5,000 Spartiates, who were full citizen soldiers. They also brought 5,000 other Lacedaemonian hoplites and 35,000 helots. A hoplite is a soldier armed with a spear and a shield.

Historians debate the exact size of the Greek force. Some suggest the total reached 110,000 people when including attendants. These attendants were often called psiloi. They served as skeuphoros, or baggage carriers, to help the army.

The Persian army was also composed of many different groups. It included Persians, Medes, Bactrians, Indians, and Sakae. They also had allies from Boeotia, Thessalia, and Macedon.

The Persian force included a large number of cavalry. Estimates for the total Persian troop count vary among historians. Some suggest 70,000 troops, while others estimate up to 120,000 people in the camp. The Persian line was arranged in specific sections. The Persians and Medes faced the Lacedaemonian and Tegean hoplites on one side. Other groups like the Bactrians and Indians occupied the center of the line.

The battle reached a breaking point due to supply issues. The Persian cavalry attacked the Greek supply lines. This disruption caused the Greek battle line to fragment. Mardonius believed the Greeks were retreating in a full rout. He ordered his forces to pursue them. However, the Spartans, Tegeans, and Athenians halted their movement. They turned to engage the enemy in a direct fight.

The Greeks routed the lightly armed Persian infantry. During the fighting, Mardonius was killed. A large portion of the Persian army was trapped and killed within their own camp.

The Battle of Plataea had massive historical significance. It effectively ended the Persian invasion of Greece. This victory occurred on nearly the same day as the Battle of Mycale, where the Persian navy was also defeated. The Greek victory relied on complex logistics. The Greeks used a system of supply columns to feed their large numbers. Some historians estimate the Greeks spent 10,000 drachmas daily on rations. This was one of the first times a Greek army was supplied while encamped on a battlefield.

The success of the Allies changed the course of Greek history.