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After Thermopylae: The Oath of Plataea and the End of the Graeco-Persian Wars
The Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE is one of world history's unjustly neglected events. It decisively ended the threat of a Persian conquest of Greece. It involved tens of thousands of combatants, including the largest number of Greeks ever brought together in a common cause. For the Spartans, the driving force behind the Greek victory, the battle was sweet vengeance for their defeat at Thermopylae the year before. Why has this pivotal battle been so overlooked?
In After Thermopylae, Paul Cartledge masterfully reopens one of the great puzzles of ancient Greece to discover, as much as possible, what happened on the field of battle and, just as important, what happened to its memory. Part of the answer to these questions, Cartledge argues, can be found in a little-known oath reputedly sworn by the leaders of Athens, Sparta, and several other Greek city-states prior to the battle-the Oath of Plataea. Through an analysis of this oath, Cartledge provides a wealth of insight into ancient Greek culture. He shows, for example, that when the Athenians and Spartans were not fighting the Persians they were fighting themselves, including a propaganda war for control of the memory of Greece's defeat of the Persians. This helps explain why today we readily remember the Athenian-led victories at Marathon and Salamis but not Sparta's victory at Plataea. Indeed, the Oath illuminates Greek anxieties over historical memory and over the Athens-Sparta rivalry, which would erupt fifty years after Plataea in the Peloponnesian War. In addition, because the Oath was ultimately a religious document, Cartledge also uses it to highlight the profound role of religion and myth in ancient Greek life. With compelling and eye-opening detective work, After Thermopylae provides a long-overdue history of the Battle of Plataea and a rich portrait of the Greek ethos during one of the most critical periods in ancient history.
In After Thermopylae, Paul Cartledge masterfully reopens one of the great puzzles of ancient Greece to discover, as much as possible, what happened on the field of battle and, just as important, what happened to its memory. Part of the answer to these questions, Cartledge argues, can be found in a little-known oath reputedly sworn by the leaders of Athens, Sparta, and several other Greek city-states prior to the battle-the Oath of Plataea. Through an analysis of this oath, Cartledge provides a wealth of insight into ancient Greek culture. He shows, for example, that when the Athenians and Spartans were not fighting the Persians they were fighting themselves, including a propaganda war for control of the memory of Greece's defeat of the Persians. This helps explain why today we readily remember the Athenian-led victories at Marathon and Salamis but not Sparta's victory at Plataea. Indeed, the Oath illuminates Greek anxieties over historical memory and over the Athens-Sparta rivalry, which would erupt fifty years after Plataea in the Peloponnesian War. In addition, because the Oath was ultimately a religious document, Cartledge also uses it to highlight the profound role of religion and myth in ancient Greek life. With compelling and eye-opening detective work, After Thermopylae provides a long-overdue history of the Battle of Plataea and a rich portrait of the Greek ethos during one of the most critical periods in ancient history.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Paul Cartledge
70 books250 followersPaul Anthony Cartledge is the 1st A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge University, having previously held a personal chair in Greek History at Cambridge. He was educated at St Paul's School & New College, Oxford where he took his 1st degree & completed his doctoral thesis in Spartan archaeology in 1975 under Prof. Sir John Boardman. After a period at the University of Warwick he moved in 10/79 to Cambridge University where he's a fellow of Clare College.
He's a world expert on Athens & Sparta in the Classical Age & has been described as a Laconophile. He was chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks & the Channel 4 series The Spartans, presented by Bettany Hughes. He's also a holder of the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour & an Honorary Citizen of modern Sparta. Besides the Leventis Professorship, he holds a visiting Global Distinguished Professorship at New York University, funded by the Greek Parliament.
He's a world expert on Athens & Sparta in the Classical Age & has been described as a Laconophile. He was chief historical consultant for the BBC TV series The Greeks & the Channel 4 series The Spartans, presented by Bettany Hughes. He's also a holder of the Gold Cross of the Order of Honour & an Honorary Citizen of modern Sparta. Besides the Leventis Professorship, he holds a visiting Global Distinguished Professorship at New York University, funded by the Greek Parliament.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 17, 2017
2,500 years after they took place, the battles of the Graeco-Persian Wars still have the capacity to fire the imagination. As a one-time Classics teacher, I can attest that a reference to the Battle of Marathon will cause an immediate ripple of interest amongst a class of 13-year olds (not just because they know the story of Philippides the runner), and a glancing mention of Thermopylae will evince cries of “Sparta!” and pleas to watch the film 300.
Yet, when one refers to the Battle of Plataea (479 BC), there is usually a sea of blank faces. This lack of recognition is something I have always found curious. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that Plataea, in which the death blow was struck against the Persian expeditionary force by a coalition of Greek armies, was “the most splendid victory of all those about which we have knowledge”. Failing to give due prominence to the engagement at Plataea is not a foible confined just to my own pupils. Cartledge points to military historians of different generations such as Giles MacDonogh (2010) and Compton Mackenzie (1934), who both waxed lyrical about the importance of Marathon and Salamis in the course of world history, but failed to include the ultimately more important Plataea.
In After Thermopylae, Cartledge sets out to uncover more not just about the battle itself, but also the perception of it in Ancient Greece. His method, in his own words, is “oblique, or slantwise”. Rather than delving into the battle head-on, he investigates a marble stele dedicated to Ares, the Greek god of war, by an Athenian priest around 325 BC. The stele bears an inscription known as the “Oath of Plataea”, which purports to be a vow taken by the Greek allies in the summer of 479 not long before the battle.
Cartledge moves beyond a discussion of the authenticity of the text of the Oath and its religious context to survey how the Persian Wars were remembered by the Ancient Greeks. He looks closely at the role played by the stele itself, and uncovers a very different political context in Athens 150 years after Plataea, where the memory of the battle, and an exaggerated Athenian role in it, was being used to restore civic pride in the face of the conquest of Greece by Philip of Macedon. Cartledge develops this idea of a propaganda battle over the memory of the war between the fiercely competitive Greek city-states from the 5th century onwards throughout the classical period, even tracing how the war resonates in the contemporary world.
The book does not just deal with this notion of the manipulation of the memory of war, but fully engages with the military questions of Plataea itself. A whole chapter deals with the run-up to the battle, and another dissects the actual battle, with a discussion of the forces involved, weaponry, and the course of the engagement. This book is a thoughtful and engaging starting point for anyone interested not just in the Graeco-Persian wars, but also the way future generations use the memory of war.
Yet, when one refers to the Battle of Plataea (479 BC), there is usually a sea of blank faces. This lack of recognition is something I have always found curious. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that Plataea, in which the death blow was struck against the Persian expeditionary force by a coalition of Greek armies, was “the most splendid victory of all those about which we have knowledge”. Failing to give due prominence to the engagement at Plataea is not a foible confined just to my own pupils. Cartledge points to military historians of different generations such as Giles MacDonogh (2010) and Compton Mackenzie (1934), who both waxed lyrical about the importance of Marathon and Salamis in the course of world history, but failed to include the ultimately more important Plataea.
In After Thermopylae, Cartledge sets out to uncover more not just about the battle itself, but also the perception of it in Ancient Greece. His method, in his own words, is “oblique, or slantwise”. Rather than delving into the battle head-on, he investigates a marble stele dedicated to Ares, the Greek god of war, by an Athenian priest around 325 BC. The stele bears an inscription known as the “Oath of Plataea”, which purports to be a vow taken by the Greek allies in the summer of 479 not long before the battle.
Cartledge moves beyond a discussion of the authenticity of the text of the Oath and its religious context to survey how the Persian Wars were remembered by the Ancient Greeks. He looks closely at the role played by the stele itself, and uncovers a very different political context in Athens 150 years after Plataea, where the memory of the battle, and an exaggerated Athenian role in it, was being used to restore civic pride in the face of the conquest of Greece by Philip of Macedon. Cartledge develops this idea of a propaganda battle over the memory of the war between the fiercely competitive Greek city-states from the 5th century onwards throughout the classical period, even tracing how the war resonates in the contemporary world.
The book does not just deal with this notion of the manipulation of the memory of war, but fully engages with the military questions of Plataea itself. A whole chapter deals with the run-up to the battle, and another dissects the actual battle, with a discussion of the forces involved, weaponry, and the course of the engagement. This book is a thoughtful and engaging starting point for anyone interested not just in the Graeco-Persian wars, but also the way future generations use the memory of war.
February 3, 2015
Cartledge quickly dismisses the notion that the Oath of Plataea has a historical authenticity as an oath sworn prior to the Battle of Plataea.
Those interested in a detailed examination will want to consult other sources. However this short book is a satisfactory introduction to a key, rather underrated battle in the Graeco-Persian Wars. Most interesting for its review of the rivalry between Athens and Sparta as the respective states vie for narrative dominance in what's now understood as "Greek" history.
Those interested in a detailed examination will want to consult other sources. However this short book is a satisfactory introduction to a key, rather underrated battle in the Graeco-Persian Wars. Most interesting for its review of the rivalry between Athens and Sparta as the respective states vie for narrative dominance in what's now understood as "Greek" history.
September 4, 2017
This book was actually rather scattered and far more academic than I was expecting for a book geared towards a more general audience, not necessarily in the depth of detail presented, but in the unwieldy and often confusing sentence construction. A lot of Cartledge's argument was predicated on a basic understanding of Classical Greek culture and the specific events of the Graeco-Persian Wars, which I have but many readers may not.
Having read other works by Cartledge, most notably his works on the Spartans and Thermopylae, I was a little surprised at the lack of accessibility in his writing in this one. Perhaps it was intended for a more overtly scholarly audience, despite what the prologue spelled out.
While I agree with Cartledge's premise that the Oath of Plataea was a construction to serve a later historical narrative, I felt like some of his evidence very poorly presented. In particular, I thought the chapter on the stele on which the Oath is inscribed as a largely religious artifact was lost to a lengthy explanation of the place of oaths in the Greek world that was not specifically related back to the religiousity of the Oath. This was a shame as I felt that it could have been one of Cartledge's stronger arguments, but it just wasn't.
Overall, there's nothing wrong with Cartledge's scholarship. His premise is well-researched, but he stumbles slightly in the execution, most probably, in my view, due to a fundamental misunderstanding of who his intended audience is. Either it is a mostly scholastic audience, which does not need his lengthy explanations of some of things, i.e., the primacy of oaths in Ancient Greece or the multiplicity of gods and goddesses present in the Classical pantheon, or it an audience composed mainly of laypeople, who will find the convoluted style of writing cumbersome and unwieldy (at least in my opinion). By trying to tread the middle ground, Cartledge somehow manages to take the worst of both those styles and combine it into a book that while informative is is singularly painful to read.
Having read other works by Cartledge, most notably his works on the Spartans and Thermopylae, I was a little surprised at the lack of accessibility in his writing in this one. Perhaps it was intended for a more overtly scholarly audience, despite what the prologue spelled out.
While I agree with Cartledge's premise that the Oath of Plataea was a construction to serve a later historical narrative, I felt like some of his evidence very poorly presented. In particular, I thought the chapter on the stele on which the Oath is inscribed as a largely religious artifact was lost to a lengthy explanation of the place of oaths in the Greek world that was not specifically related back to the religiousity of the Oath. This was a shame as I felt that it could have been one of Cartledge's stronger arguments, but it just wasn't.
Overall, there's nothing wrong with Cartledge's scholarship. His premise is well-researched, but he stumbles slightly in the execution, most probably, in my view, due to a fundamental misunderstanding of who his intended audience is. Either it is a mostly scholastic audience, which does not need his lengthy explanations of some of things, i.e., the primacy of oaths in Ancient Greece or the multiplicity of gods and goddesses present in the Classical pantheon, or it an audience composed mainly of laypeople, who will find the convoluted style of writing cumbersome and unwieldy (at least in my opinion). By trying to tread the middle ground, Cartledge somehow manages to take the worst of both those styles and combine it into a book that while informative is is singularly painful to read.
December 22, 2013
The sort of book that makes you wonder (a) whether they hired someone to copyedit and nothing else, or (b) what the manuscript looked like before an editor fixed it. Cartledge takes what promises to be an interesting discussion --the way certain memorials in ancient Greece revised history-- and applies to it a dry and pompous "I wear a tweed coat, isn't that enough to make me interesting?" authorial voice that makes for somewhat painful reading. Bits here and there capture the reader's attention, but then trail off into dead ends. This book holds some possibility for someone who wants to use it as a starting point for a more detailed and deep reflection on contemporary American politics by examining the roles of religion, veneration of war dead and military history revisionism, and stasis in the history of Athens and its interactions during the Persian and Pelopennisian Wars.
October 29, 2020
A rambling poorly edited book that was extremely disappointing to me considering how good Cartledge's "Spartans" was. I feel like the Author was writing to himself the entire book rather than the audience (not sure if this would be the author or editor's fault). One small example of the poor editing is that within two pages Phoenicians are mentioned several times and each time in brackets it is mentioned that they were from what is today Lebanon, however to do this every time they are mentioned makes it seem like the author forgot he had already mentioned this relevant information. This happens several times throughout the book. Finally as others have mentioned the writing in this book was extremely dry and academic. Very disappointing.
April 4, 2024
This is an extremely interesting book and you gain some understanding of the state of Greece after Marathon and Thermopylae and also the rivalry between Sparta and Athens, who both wanted to be top dog on any commemorative writings or like. Meanwhile poor little Plataea gets short shrift although they were at the front of the fighting and played a very important part in the Graeco -Persian wars. I have read other books by Paul Cartledge and think he is a good historian but his sentences and paragraphs are too long and take some concentration at times, otherwise you lose the point of what he is saying.
August 4, 2018
A book (monograph) focusing more on the ways the battle of Platea in 480 BCE was memorialized than on the actual battle itself (some 7-8 pages in the book). Looks at the religious, politcal and social forces at play and how they help to interpret the stele with the Oath of Plataea incscribed on it. In short, it appears the stele was a Hellenic example of political spin, by Athens at a time when its ascendency was on the wane--in essence an attempt to re-interpret history and attempt to regain primacy by extolling the past.
July 4, 2017
This short book takes as its starting point a slightly dodgy inscription on an ancient stele found by a farmer in the early 20th century. This leads to a journey through: a too much neglected crucial battle, the development of the discipline of history, Athenian and Spartan propaganda wars, and a debate about east versus west including a dash through orientalism. Quite an achievement for a book that’s only 203 pages long, and that’s if you also count the index.
November 23, 2018
This re-examination of the Battle of Plataea does not add much Herodotus' account of the battle itself, which is unsurprising, given the paucity of reliable sources. However, that is also not its avowed purpose. This book does offer an interesting look at how the memorialization of the history has been used for propaganda at various times, and by actors as various as the individual contemporary Greek cities and the Emperor Constantine.
January 7, 2024
This is not a Military History book, but rather an attempt to shed more light on the political underpinnings behind the Plataea oblivion.
July 10, 2013
Great discussion on two levels. The first was the history of the battle of Platea and it's oft-neglected importance in the Graeco-Persian conflict(s). Contrasting its pertinence relative to the more commonly discussed Marathon and/or Thermopylae was eye-opening from a historical perspective. The second was the history of the 'Oath of Platea' and how it was manipulated to alter the arc of the narrative for the participants. Cartledge teasingly introduces the logical flaws of Said and Adib-Moghaddam but then fails to explore the discussion in any depth. This would have been a fascinating avenue, possibly warranting its own article or book.
January 28, 2016
As an ancient history and archaeology graduate who specialised in Spartan history, I was very excited about reading this book. Paul Cartledge is, in my opinion, the expert on Greek and Spartan history, and this book definitely lived up to my expectations. Full of information, yet easy to read, it reignited by love for Greek history. Definitely worth a read!
May 14, 2016
I originally thought I was getting a history of the time between the Persian Wars and the Peloponessian War, instead I got something better. The book is a treatment of a single 4th century inscriptions and all the issues surrounding it including our evidence for the Battle of Platea. I learned a great deal and I am happy to see that it is part of a series of books about a single ancient object.
May 4, 2016
Detailed discussion of the Greek political discussions/proclamations and arguments about a mostly forgotten battle that save Hellas from the Persian empire. Interesting commentary on the fragmentation and disunity of the various Polis involved. Not for the casual reader.
January 2, 2015
Ignore those clamoring for an editor.. This little book is well worth your time. A very good coda to a read through the histories.
December 16, 2014
The topic of the book led me to buying the book and overall it was reasonably satisfying, unfortunately at times it is a hard book to read.
February 16, 2015
Less a study of the battle of Plataea than a academic work that rambles without a clear direction. Though interesting moments occur I would take a pass on this one.
January 29, 2014
kind of like getting the other side of the story.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews