Similarities in the failures of Xerxes’ invasion of Greece and the Sicilian Expedition
Similarities in the failures of Xerxes’ invasion of Greece and the Sicilian Expedition
On paper, Xerxes and the Persians, along with Alcibiades and his Athenians, would be overwhelmingly favored to win over Greece and Sicily. However, although both the Athenians and Persians not only far outnumbered their opponents in manpower, weaponry, and utilities, they still shockingly were both beaten and sent back to their homelands. The reasons for why two superpowers such as these would fall to a cluster of city-states and a single state, has been discussed and debated for centuries now. Among the many answers and explanations presented to explain such iconic military defeats, the two that prove to apply to both the Persians and Athenians are that they both lacked selfless and quality leadership, and they were exceptionally unprepared.
One glaring characteristic that applies to the magnificent failures of both the Persians in their invasion of Greece and the Athenians in their Sicilian expedition is the absence of morally sound leaders. These leaders did not only carry personal agendas, but also decided to put their self-interest above that of their countries. And it can certainly be argued that the selfishness of Xerxes, the Persian king during the time of the Greek invasion, and the Athenian politician and general during the invasion of Sicily, played quite possibly the most impactful role in the squandered conquest attempts.
In the year 486 BC, when the first king of Persia, King Darius, passed away, his son Xerxes was left with the task of avenging the burning of Sardis and the embarrassing defeat at Marathon in honor of his father. Xerxes desperately wanted to make his father proud, so he set his eyes on conquering Greece, and the wealth, control, and power that came with such a feat. Not only would a successful campaign honor the memory of his father, but also if this proved successful, it would pave the way for him to solidify his place in the
On paper, Xerxes and the Persians, along with Alcibiades and his Athenians, would be overwhelmingly favored to win over Greece and Sicily. However, although both the Athenians and Persians not only far outnumbered their opponents in manpower, weaponry, and utilities, they still shockingly were both beaten and sent back to their homelands. The reasons for why two superpowers such as these would fall to a cluster of city-states and a single state, has been discussed and debated for centuries now. Among the many answers and explanations presented to explain such iconic military defeats, the two that prove to apply to both the Persians and Athenians are that they both lacked selfless and quality leadership, and they were exceptionally unprepared.
One glaring characteristic that applies to the magnificent failures of both the Persians in their invasion of Greece and the Athenians in their Sicilian expedition is the absence of morally sound leaders. These leaders did not only carry personal agendas, but also decided to put their self-interest above that of their countries. And it can certainly be argued that the selfishness of Xerxes, the Persian king during the time of the Greek invasion, and the Athenian politician and general during the invasion of Sicily, played quite possibly the most impactful role in the squandered conquest attempts.
In the year 486 BC, when the first king of Persia, King Darius, passed away, his son Xerxes was left with the task of avenging the burning of Sardis and the embarrassing defeat at Marathon in honor of his father. Xerxes desperately wanted to make his father proud, so he set his eyes on conquering Greece, and the wealth, control, and power that came with such a feat. Not only would a successful campaign honor the memory of his father, but also if this proved successful, it would pave the way for him to solidify his place in the