Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 51 (click to see context) from:
* NoEnding: The book abruptly ends with some Persian intrigues after the war.
to:
* NoEnding: The book abruptly ends with some Persian intrigues after the war. [[ItMakesSenseInContext The intent was probably to subtly call attention to how the hubris and mismanagement of the Persian kings led to their downfall,]] [[AnAesop and how even now Athens was going the same way and would also come to a bad end they didn't change their imperialist and arrogant ways.]] [[IgnoredAesop Of course, it flew right over the heads of the Athenians of the time,]] [[LostAesop and fails to connect with us today]], since we aren't contemporary Athenians. [[{{Applicability}} Of course, one could argue that this lesson is important to all other great powers of history,]] [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement but that gets messy quick]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 8 (click to see context) from:
Herodotus is the main source on the GrecoPersianWars, as well as one of the only surviving sources on many other matters. His book is what gives the word 'history' the sense of an account of the past.
to:
Herodotus is the main source on the GrecoPersianWars, as well as one of the only surviving sources on many other matters. His book is what gives the word 'history' the sense of an account of the past. As such, Herodotus is often considered to be the Father of History.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* InsaneTrollLogic: When Cambyses became aware that the Persian court generally regarded him as insane, he declared to his friend Prexaspes that, if he could kill the cup-bearer (who also happened to be Prexaspes' son) with an arrow through the heart, then he couldn't possibly be mad. After murdering the boy in front of his father, he had his servants cut the body open, and found that the arrow had indeed hit the heart. Apparently this was enough to convince Cambyses that was completely sane.
to:
* InsaneTrollLogic: When Cambyses became aware that the Persian court generally regarded him as insane, he declared to his friend Prexaspes that, if he could kill the cup-bearer (who also happened to be Prexaspes' son) with an arrow through the heart, then he couldn't possibly be mad. After murdering the boy in front of his father, he had his servants cut the body open, and found that the arrow had indeed hit the heart. Apparently this was enough to convince Cambyses that he was completely sane.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* InsaneTrollLogic: When Cambyses became aware that the Persian court generally regarded him as insane, he declared to his friend Prexaspes that, if he could kill the cup-bearer (who also happened to be Prexaspes' son) with an arrow through the heart, then he couldn't possibly be mad. After murdering the boy in front of is father, he had his servants cut the body open, and found that the arrow had indeed hit the heart. Apparently this was enough to convince Cambyses that was completely sane.
to:
* InsaneTrollLogic: When Cambyses became aware that the Persian court generally regarded him as insane, he declared to his friend Prexaspes that, if he could kill the cup-bearer (who also happened to be Prexaspes' son) with an arrow through the heart, then he couldn't possibly be mad. After murdering the boy in front of is his father, he had his servants cut the body open, and found that the arrow had indeed hit the heart. Apparently this was enough to convince Cambyses that was completely sane.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* InsaneTrollLogic: When Cambyses became aware that the Persian court generally regarded him as insane, he declared to his friend Prexaspes that, if he could kill the cup-bearer (who also happened to be Prexaspes' son) with an arrow through the heart, then he couldn't possibly be mad. After murdering the boy in front of is father, he had his servants cut the body open, and found that the arrow had indeed hit the heart. Apparently this was enough to convince Cambyses that was completely sane.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* TallPoppySyndrome: The tyrant Thrasybulus of Miletus cut off the tallest stalks of grain in a field when Periander of Corinth asked for advice about keeping people in line. This is probably the inspiration for Tarquin's trope naming actions.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* NeverFoundTheBody: Or ''bodies'', in this case. When Cambyses launched a military campaign against Nubia, he simultaneously sent a second army to conquer Libya. They got lost somewhere in the African desert, were never heard from again. The Libyans themselves claimed that no invading army ever reached them, and to this day the lost army of Cambyses remains something of a mystery.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* BattleTrophy: Herodotus describes how certain Scythian tribes gilded over the skulls of their dead enemies and used them as drinking cups.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
** "Giant ants" might have been a mistranslation of "marmots": "ant" in Greek is "myrmex", and even nowadays the Minaro tribes collect gold dust excavated from the Himalayan marmots' burrows.
to:
** "Giant ants" might have been a mistranslation of "marmots": "ant" in Greek is "myrmex", and even nowadays the Minaro tribes collect gold dust excavated from the Himalayan marmots' burrows. Not that giant marmots are much more plausible, of course
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 74 (click to see context) from:
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: "...sonce the Athenians had come with two great gods, Persuasion and Necessity, the Andrians certainly had to give them money. To this the Andrians replied that it made sense for Athens to be great and prosperous, since she had the good fortune that came with useful gods; but the Andrians had come to a point of extreme deficiency in land, and they had two useless gods - Poverty and Helplessness - who apparently wished to remain on their island forever and refused to leave it."
to:
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: "...sonce since the Athenians had come with two great gods, Persuasion and Necessity, the Andrians certainly had to give them money. To this the Andrians replied that it made sense for Athens to be great and prosperous, since she had the good fortune that came with useful gods; but the Andrians had come to a point of extreme deficiency in land, and they had two useless gods - Poverty and Helplessness - who apparently wished to remain on their island forever and refused to leave it."
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 48 (click to see context) from:
* NoEndng: The book abruptly ends with some Persian intrigues after the war.
to:
* NoEndng: NoEnding: The book abruptly ends with some Persian intrigues after the war.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* NoEndng: The book abruptly ends with some Persian intrigues after the war.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ArmorIsUseless: Inverted - armor is actually a decisive factor in battles, with Persians and Spartans being of equal bravery.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
** Mardonios' advisors and Hellene allies tell him that he can break the anti-Persian alliance with bribery. But, Mardonios insists on doing things the hard way, resulting in the Battle of Plataea.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* SnarkToSnarkCombat: "...sonce the Athenians had come with two great gods, Persuasion and Necessity, the Andrians certainly had to give them money. To this the Andrians replied that it made sense for Athens to be great and prosperous, since she had the good fortune that came with useful gods; but the Andrians had come to a point of extreme deficiency in land, and they had two useless gods - Poverty and Helplessness - who apparently wished to remain on their island forever and refused to leave it."
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* GuileHero: Themistokles, who uses carefully-chosen words and flat-Out lying to secure victory as much as he uses military means.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* DarkestHour: The Battle of Thermopylae was merely a speedbump to the Persian invasion force, and eventually Athens falls. According to Xerxes' casus belli, the war is actually won at this point. But then comes the Battle of Salamis and the Battle of Plataea.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 19 (click to see context) from:
* CassandraTruth: Most of Xerxes' advisors tell him that the Hellenes are really stubborn and will fight to the bitter end no matter what - including Demaratos, a Spartan king-in-exile who would certainly have firsthand experience. Xerxes refuses to plan for such details.
to:
* CassandraTruth: Most of Xerxes' advisors tell him that the Hellenes are really stubborn and will fight to the bitter end no matter what - including Demaratos, a Spartan king-in-exile who would certainly have firsthand experience. Xerxes refuses to plan for such details.details until ''after'' he sees what Spartans can do.
** Artemisia tells the rest of the Persians not to pursue a sea battle as it would be pointless, and a slow and steady pace should be followed for the rest of the war. Xerxes agrees with her, but decides to act in accordance with the majority opinion amongst his advisors instead.
** Artemisia tells the rest of the Persians not to pursue a sea battle as it would be pointless, and a slow and steady pace should be followed for the rest of the war. Xerxes agrees with her, but decides to act in accordance with the majority opinion amongst his advisors instead.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* TheRival: Many city-states have such a rivalry that they choose sides in the Greco-Persian Wars just to spite some city-state on the other side.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* XanatosGambit: Themistokles carves a message telling the Ionians to switch their allegiance from Persia to their fellow Hellenes, or at the very least fight like cowards. Either the Ionians would actually obey the message, or the Persians would distrust the Ionians, or both.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* TheAlliance: Sparta and Athens form an improvised anti-Persia alliance with many other city-states.
Changed line(s) 72 (click to see context) from:
* WeAREStrugglingTogether: The Hellenic alliance against Persia is only held together by Sparta's reputation and the fact that Athens is the direct target of the invasion. There are many strains over who has command rights over which army or fleet, who was the most honorable, who contributed the most, etc. Whole city-states refuse to join in just because they won't have any share of the command rights, or because they don't think the current allotment of command rights.
to:
* WeAREStrugglingTogether: The Hellenic alliance against Persia is only held together by Sparta's reputation and the fact that Athens is the direct target of the invasion. There are many strains over who has command rights over which army or fleet, who was the most honorable, who contributed the most, etc. Whole city-states refuse to join in just because they won't have any share of the command rights, or because they don't think the current allotment of command rights.rights is honorable.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* WeAREStrugglingTogether: The Hellenic alliance against Persia is only held together by Sparta's reputation and the fact that Athens is the direct target of the invasion. There are many strains over who has command rights over which army or fleet, who was the most honorable, who contributed the most, etc. Whole city-states refuse to join in just because they won't have any share of the command rights, or because they don't think the current allotment of command rights.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* WoundedGazelleGambit: The Spartans at Thermopylae "would turn their backs and feign flight all together, and the barbarians, seeing this, would pursue them with much clatter and shouting; the Lacedaemonians [mostly Spartans] would allow the barbarians to catch up with them and then suddenly turn around to face them..."
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ActionGirl: Artemisia, who commands a small fleet in service of Persia so that her son doesn't have to.
Added DiffLines:
* CassandraTruth: Most of Xerxes' advisors tell him that the Hellenes are really stubborn and will fight to the bitter end no matter what - including Demaratos, a Spartan king-in-exile who would certainly have firsthand experience. Xerxes refuses to plan for such details.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ButThouMust: Xerxes and Artabanos try so very hard to resist the urge to invade Hellas (ancient Greece). But, a dream-spirit compels both of them.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 50 (click to see context) from:
** For instance, Xerxes had nothing against Hellas (Ancient Greece) until someone persistently convinced him to invade - and it was primarily that one advisor who stood to gain anything.
to:
** For instance, Xerxes had nothing against Hellas (Ancient Greece) until someone persistently convinced him to invade - and it was primarily that one advisor who stood to gain anything. Xerxes also had multiple chances to cancel the war, and even cancelled it verbally once, but was pushed on by the need to appear to be a strong king.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Persians considered the Hellenes to be such:
-> "As a matter of fact, according to what I hear, the Hellenes are in the habit of starting wars without the slightest forethought, out of obstinacy and stupidity... What they ought to do, since they speak the same language and use heralds and messengers, is to thus put an end to their differences and employ means other than battles to become reconciled... Thus the Hellenes do not employ intelligent strategies..." - Mardonios
-> "As a matter of fact, according to what I hear, the Hellenes are in the habit of starting wars without the slightest forethought, out of obstinacy and stupidity... What they ought to do, since they speak the same language and use heralds and messengers, is to thus put an end to their differences and employ means other than battles to become reconciled... Thus the Hellenes do not employ intelligent strategies..." - Mardonios
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* {{Realpolitik}}: For, although speeches are made concerning freedom and honor, they also appeal to the lust for glory, wealth, and power.
** For instance, Xerxes had nothing against Hellas (Ancient Greece) until someone persistently convinced him to invade - and it was primarily that one advisor who stood to gain anything.
** For instance, Xerxes had nothing against Hellas (Ancient Greece) until someone persistently convinced him to invade - and it was primarily that one advisor who stood to gain anything.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Deleted line(s) 20 (click to see context) :
* ForeignCultureFetish: This is what the people who read ''The Histories'' solely to see the glory of Sparta say. Herodotus comes across to them as having excessive fondness for non-Hellenic cultures, especially the Egyptians.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Deleted line(s) 9,10 (click to see context) :
A few sentences from ''The Histories'' were adapted by Frank Miller for ''ComicBook/ThreeHundred'' in order to show a conflict between "Western" and "Eastern" civilizations, with the "Western" one embodying freedom and the "Eastern" one being decadent and morally corrupt. So the young moviegoers say. But there is another account which shall be related here. ''The Histories'' upheld bravery and moral virtue, and sought it in any person who had a shred of it, no matter Hellenic (Western) or Persian (Eastern). Each side had both tyrants and just rulers, both cowards and heroes. So say the people who have actually read ''The Histories'' and studied history in any sort of disciplined manner.
