Xerxes- your view (1 Viewer)

[flett]

What are your views of Xerxes?, back up with sources.

eg. “There was not a man...more worthy then Xerxes” to lead the Persians into war – Herodotus.

 

[Kendall_Gilroy]

flett

are u flat??

like flat as a pancake

 

[Allisonius]

My veiw on Xerxes is that he is a very powerful leader.
In the play The persians by Aeschylus, this is often demonstrated. Though in the play they demonise him with his power (as the text was written by an Athenian Playwrite for Greek entertainment) I think that it was important in running a stable empire. The way he dealt with the results in the empire also demonstrates this, the punishment he use, though very harsh, established this power and stopped the revolts getting that significant in it's impact on the rest of the empire.
Though not necesseraliy a "good" man (he could be described as sadistic, arrogant, gullible and having hubris, these veiws are definitely supported in Herdotus' account but it must be remembered the bias he would have, and the fact Herodotus also wrote to entertain) he was definitely a powerful leader.

 

[-may-cat-]

What do you think about the idea that Xerxes was presented in Greek texts as such a harsh and all powerful leader to glorify their own triumphs?

 

[Allisonius]

What do you think about the idea that Xerxes was presented in Greek texts as such a harsh and all powerful leader to glorify their own triumphs?

Yes that idea sounds very reasonable.
For the more powerful the empire they crushed is the more amazing the Greeks look.
It's similar to the way that they exaggerated the numbers of Persian warriors in the battles, such as the way Herodotus wrote about Marathon, he said that the sky was blacked out by the arrows of the persians.

 

[-may-cat-]

Thats an interesting one, Marathon. I mean we all know Herodotus likes to exaggerate for the sake of a good story but whats strange is that when the site of Marathon was excavated, they counted up the Greek and Persian armour to get a vague estimate of the dead. Turns out the the number of Greek dead was very close to Herodotus's account, i think it was off by like 8 or something? It does make you wonder, while its easy to pass things off as exaggeration, do we simply underestimate the capabilities of the ancients? Its something i would really, really like to look further into tbh.

 

[Allisonius]

That is very true actually, and I don't mean to sound as if I am passing it off just as exaggeration, for it would make sense that the Greeks would defeat the Persians despite their large numbers at Marathon (as they certainly were more well disciplined, they used the geography of the area to their advantage and the soldiers believed in their cause). I was simply noting that the idea of all the arrows blocking out the sky is rather... perhaps romanticisised (constructed for entertainment) is a better way to put it.
And I shall have to look more into the reseach at marathon. It certainly does sound interesting.
Do you know where I can find some information on this?

 

[-may-cat-]

lol. chill man, im not having at go at what your saying, its just something im really into which i thought you might want to know. BTW i haven't read the excavation publications on that so it may not be entirely reliable... but i don't think my uni would lie to me.

Nah, i've been trying to find an english translation of the excavation publications but to no avail I think your best bet would be to go find some books on classical Greek warfare in the state library or something cuz half the stuff on the internet is utter crap. I'll have to ask my lecturer who undertook the excavations and get back to you.

 

[Allisonius]

Ah it's okay. I didn't take it as you having a go at me ^.^;

And okay then. It's a shame i live in a small country town with little access to good records and such. Ah well.
Thanks anyway!

 

[-may-cat-]

That is a shame, you should check your private messages.

 

[posey-rose]

My veiw on Xerxes is that he is a very powerful leader.
In the play The persians by Aeschylus, this is often demonstrated. Though in the play they demonise him with his power (as the text was written by an Athenian Playwrite for Greek entertainment) I think that it was important in running a stable empire. The way he dealt with the results in the empire also demonstrates this, the punishment he use, though very harsh, established this power and stopped the revolts getting that significant in it's impact on the rest of the empire.
Though not necesseraliy a "good" man (he could be described as sadistic, arrogant, gullible and having hubris, these veiws are definitely supported in Herdotus' account but it must be remembered the bias he would have, and the fact Herodotus also wrote to entertain) he was definitely a powerful leader.

i disagree... his greatest accomplishment was his damn building program which he took tradesmen from all over the empire forcing them to leave their family behind. also he imposed heavy taxation for both this and his war scheme (which was to put it blunty an epic failure). also two years before his death persepolis documents show that there was a shortage of rice in the empire, which meant that a famine had hit the empire. all the while xerxes was too preoccupied with his love for his daughter in law.

 

[Rocket Man]

he has a small wewe persepolis has got a lot of rather large columns for invalid reasons

 

[123 B A N G]

I disagree that Xerxes was a "poor fool" as he is shown in the play The Persians. I think he was a very good ruler and the Greeks exaggerate because of their innate bias. There is of course his building programs at Persepolis and Susa which indicates that the Persian empire was flourishing, therefore he could afford to spend such vast resources. I also think Greek writers under state Xerxes military and diplomatic capacities. He was able to bring the Egyptian and Babylonian revolts under control rather quickly and expand the empire in the East. I also think it is telling that there was no more revolts under his leadership and this could most likely indicate that he was a just ruler. Anywho thats just me