So, with all this in mind, the Athenians developed an ingenious plan with which to counter the overwhelming odds that were stacked against them. .
Firstly, the Athenians, who were accompanied by one thousand Plataeans, formed something of a decoy line. This meant that their army stretched out even further on either side than the Persians" army did but was only really strong at each end. .
(Fig. ) By so arranging themselves the bulk of the Greek army at each end could proceed unhindered by Persian arrows and quickly close the distance with the Cavalry, not leaving them room to charge. Furthermore, the Athenians in the middle were made up of a line thin enough to be able to run under the arrows whenever they were fired. (Fig. ) When the Greeks finally closed with the Persians the bulk of the Persian army was wasted on the small thin line of Athenians in the middle, while the Greek army was able to actually fight with odds in their favor at each end. After a short time the Athenians had managed to surround the Persians on three sides, and, afraid that their escape route would be cut off, the Persians fled to their ships, all the while being run into the ground by pursuing Athenians. (Fig. ).
At the end of the day the Greek contingent had won an incredible victory. Losing few more than two hundred men, they had managed to inflict over six thousand four hundred losses on the invading army. Without a doubt the Athenians used their positions more than anything else to win such an unbelievable victory. Not only this, but once the battle was over the Athenians immediately marched 42km back home to prevent the Persian fleet from attacking their city.
Thermopylae.
The battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC was far more important than any other battle that any of the Greek states had fought to date. Not only did it herald the invasion by Xerxes, the new king of Persia and son of the late king Darius, and hence hold great importance for the survival of the Greek people and their way of life, but it also represented the incredible willpower of the Greek people as a united race for the first time.