Teaser: Plataea, Clash of Military Systems (Patreon)

Two distinct military systems, two worldviews, one decisive battlefield. The clash at Plataea in 479 BCE represents far more than a Greek victory over Persian invaders – it embodies the collision of fundamentally different approaches to warfare, each reflecting the society that created it. Following the naval defeat at Salamis, Persian King Xerxes withdrew with most of his forces, but left his trusted commander Mardonius with an elite army estimated at 70,000 men. This wasn't merely an occup...