DOI Artikel:
Waldstein, Charles; Washington, Henry Stephens; Hunt, W. Irving: Discoveries at Plataia in 1890
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8678#0290
272
TUE BATTLEFIELD OF FLAT ALA.
Lakedaimonians, and the Plataians stood next the Athenians. The
rest of the Greeks held the centre. The enemy were soon at hand and
formed their line of battle. Opposite the Lakedaimonians were the
Persians; then came the subject nations; and at the other end of the
line were the medizing Greeks. The Asopos divided them,1 and the
prophets on both sides advised acting on the defensive. For eight
days the armies faced each other, and the Greek force continually grew
stronger. On the night of the eighth day, Mardonios sent to the pass
Dryoskephalai2 a troop of cavalry, which captured a large supply-train
on its way to the Greek camp.
On the eleventh day Mardonios, not wishing that the Greek forces
should be further strengthened, resolved upon giving battle. This
purpose was communicated to the Greeks that night, and the Lake-
daimonians asked the Athenians to change places with them, because
the Athenians had already faced the Persians at Marathon. This
change M as made; but, in the morning Avhen the enemy observed it,
Mardonios moved the Persians to his right wing, so that they once
more faced the Lakedaimonians. Pausanias, the Lakedaimonian
commander, seeing that he had gained nothing by the change, went
back to his former position and the Persians did the same. Mardonios,
after sending a taunting challenge to the Spartans, ordered a cavalry
charge. The cavalry captured the spring Gargaphia and choked it
up. This cut off the water supply of the Greeks; for it was unsafe
to go to the Asopos on account of the horsemen and bowmen. They
determined to move that night to the Island, where
third position.
they would have water in abundance and be free from
the assaults of the Persian cavalry. When the time came, the Greeks
in the middle of the line did not march to the appointed place, but
were glad to flee from the enemy's cavalry toward Plataia, and came
to the Heraion before the town. The Lakedaimonians on the right
were detained by the obstinacy of Amompharetos, who refused to
retreat before the enemy, while the Athenians on the left remained
where they were, because they did not think the Lakedaimonians
1 Part of the Persian forces may have been south of the Asopos. The Persian cav-
alry were continually active on the south side of the river. Cf. Hekodotos, ix. 40.
2 Also called Treiskephalai; because one looking south from the valley of the
Asopos can distinguish three peaks of Kithairon in the neighborhood of the pass,
through which the road from Athens to Thebes now passes. There was another pass
from Megara. Cf. Xenopiion, Hell., v. 4. 14; Vischer, Erinnerungen aus Qriechen-
land, p. 533.
TUE BATTLEFIELD OF FLAT ALA.
Lakedaimonians, and the Plataians stood next the Athenians. The
rest of the Greeks held the centre. The enemy were soon at hand and
formed their line of battle. Opposite the Lakedaimonians were the
Persians; then came the subject nations; and at the other end of the
line were the medizing Greeks. The Asopos divided them,1 and the
prophets on both sides advised acting on the defensive. For eight
days the armies faced each other, and the Greek force continually grew
stronger. On the night of the eighth day, Mardonios sent to the pass
Dryoskephalai2 a troop of cavalry, which captured a large supply-train
on its way to the Greek camp.
On the eleventh day Mardonios, not wishing that the Greek forces
should be further strengthened, resolved upon giving battle. This
purpose was communicated to the Greeks that night, and the Lake-
daimonians asked the Athenians to change places with them, because
the Athenians had already faced the Persians at Marathon. This
change M as made; but, in the morning Avhen the enemy observed it,
Mardonios moved the Persians to his right wing, so that they once
more faced the Lakedaimonians. Pausanias, the Lakedaimonian
commander, seeing that he had gained nothing by the change, went
back to his former position and the Persians did the same. Mardonios,
after sending a taunting challenge to the Spartans, ordered a cavalry
charge. The cavalry captured the spring Gargaphia and choked it
up. This cut off the water supply of the Greeks; for it was unsafe
to go to the Asopos on account of the horsemen and bowmen. They
determined to move that night to the Island, where
third position.
they would have water in abundance and be free from
the assaults of the Persian cavalry. When the time came, the Greeks
in the middle of the line did not march to the appointed place, but
were glad to flee from the enemy's cavalry toward Plataia, and came
to the Heraion before the town. The Lakedaimonians on the right
were detained by the obstinacy of Amompharetos, who refused to
retreat before the enemy, while the Athenians on the left remained
where they were, because they did not think the Lakedaimonians
1 Part of the Persian forces may have been south of the Asopos. The Persian cav-
alry were continually active on the south side of the river. Cf. Hekodotos, ix. 40.
2 Also called Treiskephalai; because one looking south from the valley of the
Asopos can distinguish three peaks of Kithairon in the neighborhood of the pass,
through which the road from Athens to Thebes now passes. There was another pass
from Megara. Cf. Xenopiion, Hell., v. 4. 14; Vischer, Erinnerungen aus Qriechen-
land, p. 533.