‘Neither the Less Valorous nor the Weaker’

Abstract

In his description of the battle of Plataia in 479 BC, Herodotos claims that the Persians lost because they had inferior equipment and were therefore helpless against Greeks in close combat. This article seeks to test that claim. A summary of what we know about Greek and Persian infantry equipment shows that the technological difference between the armies was much less dramatic than is often assumed. Furthermore, a closer look at the course of the battle and the tactics employed shows that the Persians were for the most part fighting in their preferred style and that it was the Greeks who were impeded by their various military shortcomings. The unlikely Greek victory cannot be simply explained by pointing to weapon technology; rather, with a combination of logistics, luck and sheer determination they eventually caused Persian morale to shatter.

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