Earth And Water: The Invasion of Xerxes The Great (NOT a Secret Project)

[Giant Squid]

"When Xerxes had gathered his army to invade Greece, he sent messengers to all the Greek states demanding earth and water, the traditional symbols of surrender. The Athenians buried the messenger in a pit. The Spartans drowned the messenger in a well. In this way, the Persians got their earth and water."

"When the immense army of Xerxes was crossing the Hellespont, Xerxes turned to Artabazus and asked him whether he still thought the invasion of Greece was a bad idea. 'I fear so' was Artabazus' reply 'for we have the two greatest forces in the world against us: the earth and the water'"

-Paraphrase of Herodotus

The Atlantean time scale was driving me crazy, so I quit with it and created this scenario instead, about Xerxes' invasion of Greece. It is my favorite out of all scenarios, and, for those who have played my other scenarios, not quite so buggy. I'd love some feedback...
http://www.geocities.com/giantsquid1...es/xerxes.html

[Stefan Härtel]

Congratulations, that is an awesome scenario, very challenging, very well-made, ought to become one of my favourites!
I also feel very honoured by the dedication, thank you very much!

Although I do not agree with Herodotos, and he sometimes liked to manipulate historical facts in favour of the Greeks. Especially in the number of Xerxes' army:

Infantry: 2 000 000
Cavalry 80 000
Arabs and Lybians 20 000
Naval crew 241 000
Persians, Medians Sacans 36 210
(Can someone translate the french word "Equipages"?) 240 000
And more, making a total of 5 283 220 men!!!
This is totally irrealistic, as both Greek and Persian historians assured.

But again, I love the scenario!

------------------
Follow the masses!
30,000 lemmings can't be wrong!

Our survival is based on continouus changing.
-Mao Tse-Tung
God might have created us as equals, but democracy and science pretty
much screwed that whole idea..
-Onepaul


Visit my Homepage at: http://members.xoom.com/SHaertel/Index.html

[BeBMan]

Just downloaded it. First impression: great!

[Giant Squid]

Thanks for the kind words!

Kull: I don't know...I've seen a few people just after they finished a marathon, and I'm not willing to rule out that that alone caused his death
And I'll definitely check the book.

[Stefan Härtel]

quote: The Spartans were in the midst of a religious festival and thus couldn't comply.

The Spartans weren't really out to make war with Persia. Kleomenes, king of Sparta, saw sort of a "sepparation" of the world into "Spartan" and "Persian" territories. The Persian messengers angered him because they were disturbing his illusion.
The Spartans told the Athenian messengers that there was a religious ceremony, but in truth, they had to surpress an uprising of Helotes, but due to their pride they did not want to give this as a reason.

------------------
Follow the masses!
30,000 lemmings can't be wrong!

Our survival is based on continouus changing.
-Mao Tse-Tung
God might have created us as equals, but democracy and science pretty
much screwed that whole idea..
-Onepaul


Visit my Homepage at: http://members.xoom.com/SHaertel/Index.html

[Kull]

Looking good, Squid!

Anyone truly interested in Ancient warfare, especially that practiced by the Greeks of this period, needs to read "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. It's a first-person account of the Battle of Thermopylae (fictionalized, of course) but it's really a lot more.

From our end of this vast gulf of time, Ancient Warfare appears almost quaint, especially in the light of WW2, modern warfighting techs, and the Bomb. This book strips away that fantasy and puts you in the mud with a band of fellow citizen-soldiers, a shield on one hand and a spear in the other, in your ears the cacophony of battle, and in your nostrils the stink of blood, $hit, and fear. Gripping.

A note on the first runner of the Marathon. There's a few conflicting tales, but according to Herodotus it began with Pheidippides running 145 miles from Athens to Sparta in two days, to request help for the upcoming Battle of Marathon. The Spartans were in the midst of a religious festival and thus couldn't comply. So he turned around and ran BACK to Athens! Upon his arrival, the people then sent him on the 26 mile run to Marathon to check on the status of the battle. He arrived, learned the result and then ran back to Athens where he uttered a single word, "Niki" (victory), and died on the spot. Plutarch says it was a different person who ran the Marathon legs, but if it was the same guy, his death becomes a lot more believable!
[This message has been edited by Kull (edited August 26, 2000).]