It is the year 480 BC and the massive army and navy of the Great King of Persiam, Xerxes, is on the move. The Great King himself is personally leading the campaign and eager to witness his armed forces' triumph as they advance through northern and central Greece.

Two battles, fought on land and sea, will test the resolve of a fragile but determined anti-Persian Greek alliance hastily formed to check the Great King's advance. Despite deep rivalries and a history of conflict among themselves, this group of Greeks unite against overwhelming odds in an effort to defend their homeland.

At Thermopylae, a narrow pass between mountain and sea becomes the stage for one of history’s most iconic last stands. At Artemisium, Greek triremes clash with the vast Persian fleet in a desperate attempt to hold the line.

But these battles were more than tactical delays—they were symbolic declarations. Against the might of the largest invasion force the ancient world had seen, a few city-states stood their ground not for conquest or glory, but for something deeper: identity, freedom, and the soul of Greece itself.

Contents:

00:00 Xerxes in Greece
11:46 The Pythia Speaks
14:53 Themistocles
39:33 Leonidas
52:12 Thermopylae: Day 1
57:31 Artemisium: Day 1
58:31 Artemisium: Day 2
01:00:45 Thermopylae: Day 2
01:06:02 The Last Stand of Leonidas and the 300
01:19:05 Thank You and Patrons

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In this episode, we’ll explore the critical decade between the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC and Xerxes’ invasion of Greece in 480 BC—a period that shaped the course of the Greco-Persian Wars. Following their defeat at Marathon, the Persians, under King Darius I, began preparing for a renewed campaign, but internal challenges, including rebellions and Darius’ death in 486 BC, delayed their plans.

With the ascension of Xerxes I, the Persian Empire moved decisively. Xerxes crushed revolts in Egypt and Babylonia and set his sights on Greece, organizing one of the largest invasion forces in ancient history to fulfill his father’s uncompleted ambitions of conquest.

Meanwhile, growing awareness of the Persian threat pushed some Greek city-states toward greater unity. Despite internal rivalries, alliances began to form, with Athens and Sparta taking the lead in preparing for the storm to come. But would this fledgling cooperation be enough to stand against Xerxes’ colossal forces?

Let's find out.

Contents:

00:00 Recap and Introduction
01:07 Darius' Legacy
04:07 Xerxes becomes King
06:38 The Great Debate: Mardonius
15:47 The Great Debate: Artabanus
19:45 On to War!
27:15 The Grand Army of Xerxes
35:07 Gelon of Sicily and the Search for Allies
45:52 Thank You and Patrons

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In the last episode of this series, we covered the rise of the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great and its expansion into Anatolia and the eastern Aegean, including the predominantly Greek-speaking region of Ionia. Though much of Ionia prospered under their new overlords, in 499 BC, the Ionians revolted with their help of their allies, including the city-states of Athens and Eritrea. By 493 BC, what become known as the Ionian Revolt had been crushed, and order restored to the western fringes of the Persian Empire. However, the empire’s king, Darius I, vowed to punish Athens and Eretria for their involvement in the uprising. The Great King of Persia sent several of his most trusted commanders to subdue both city-states and any others who opposed him, resulting in the first major armed encounter in Europe between the Greeks and Persians on the plains of Marathon.

Drawing on historical sources and the latest archaeological research, this series will explore everything from the causes of the conflict to its key figures, the various phases of leading up to this epic encounter and its aftermath.

Contents:

00:00 Recap and Introduction
01:45 The Northern Aegean Campaigns of Mardonius
05:10 Looking to the West
08:18 Athens and Eretria
09:49 How many Men and Ships?
14:30 Island Hopping Around the Aegean
16:33 Euboea and Eretria
19:23 Onward to Athens
22:21 Decisions
27:07 War it is!
29:33 The Battle of Marathon
35:44 Counting the Dead
38:57 If not by Land, then by Sea!
40:00 Aftermath of Marathon
44:41 Thank You and Patrons

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