The Persian Wars

Battle of Plataea, and after

The land war continued for another year, but the heart had gone out of the Persians. At Plataea, in 479, the Persian army was defeated and Mardonius was killed.

The Persians retreated from Greece without further incident, neither side desiring to fight further. The Greeks gained other victories in Asia Minor.

The victory over Persia was the greatest of all victories won by the Greeks. It meant that Greece would stay Greek, and not be absorbed into the Persian Empire had so many other cultures. It meant that Greek influence would live and grow, to be spread further by Alexander and to be preserved and extended by Rome.

History of Western Civilization

E.L. Skip Knox
Boise State University

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