What is happening in The Persian Wars in 479BCE

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With the return of the fighting season in 479 BCE, the Persians fortify a position near the small city of Plataea, and the Greeks raise a new joint army to deal with them. This is the largest the Greeks have ever raised, perhaps more than 45,000 men. The Spartans and their Peloponnesian allies form by far the largest contingent, but the Athenians have also contributed 8,000 men. As before, the Greek army is led by a Spartan commander.

The Battle of Plataea

The Persians wait in their camp for the arrival of the Greek army. This duly arrives, but a stalemate ensues with the Persians not leaving their camp and the Greeks not attacking it.

After 11 days, the Persians finally attack, fearing that the Greek army is being reinforced. In a confused battle, the more heavily armed Greek infantry troops (hoplites) win the day. The Persian general Mardonius is killed, and the Persians retreat back into their camp. The Greeks hurriedly pursue them and overrun the camp, completely destroying the Persian army.

The surviving Persian troops fight their way back to Persian territory. Like Xerxes’ troops the previous year, they lose many men to disease, hunger and enemy attack. Only a few make it back.

The remnants of the Persian fleet, meanwhile, take refuge on the coast of Asia Minor. The crews beech their ships and erect a camp a little way inland, on the slopes of Mount Mycale.  The Persian soldiers in the fleet are strengthened by a Persian army stationed nearby.

The Battle of Mycale

The Greek fleet – mainly Athenian but under a Spartan commander – arrives. The fleet lands its  soldiers from the ships, who attack the Persian troops drawn up near their camp. As at Plataea, the  Persian troops are no match for the heavy-armed Greek hoplites, who rout the Persians and burn their camp and all their ships. 

The Battle of Mycale is fought at around the same time as the Battle of Plataea, and the two battles between them give the Greeks complete victory over the Persians.