Xenophon

The Amateur General

Timeline: Greco-Persian Wars

by J. E. Pournelle, PhD.

As the Graeco-Persian Wars proved conclusively the superiority of the Hellenic weapons-system over that of the Asian, the Persian Empire became increasingly limited to a policy of self-preservation regarding the Greeks This era of Persian defensiveness remained unbroken until the occurrence of that great Hellenic disaster known to history as the Peloponnesian War. Though the total effect of this fratricidal catastrophe was not to be felt for another sixty-six years, the immediate effects were monumental in themselves and helped tofurther weaken both Hellas and Persia.

Among the significant changes wrought by the Peoponnesian War was the temporary absence of Greek naval power caused by the defeat of Athens, and the Spartan policy of defending mainland Hellas and virtually ignoring the Aegean and Asia Minor. Other changes include a complete upset in the balance of power as a result of the Spartan victory {the Athenians due to their maritime orientation and close ties with the Asian Greeks had maintained an aggressive policy towards the Persians which had kept the Asians on the defensive) and an almost complete proffesionalization of the Hellenic military.

The Peloponnesian War had been unlike any other Hellenic conflict fighting had continued {albeit intermittently) for almost twenty-seven years; entire forces had been annihilated, cities had been sacked and razed, even mles of combat had become drastically altered with such novel concepts as night attacks entering the picture. The result of all this was an entire generation of Hellenes exposed to warfare. Xenophon was of this generation.

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