Persian Invasion of 480 BC - articles

[Aryaman2]

However, they had no ancient tradition of organizing large states and armies. Persian logistics were well organized, but inefficient: important Persians could bring along wives and concubunes in wagons, along with other conveniences. Edit: Other thoughts- we have well attested Persian armies of 50,000-100,000 soldiers (by comparing roughly known Hellenic strengths at Cunaxa and Alexander's battles with how much the enemy appear to have outnumbered them). We know Hellenistic kings could raise similar forces. These armies had to be supplied by land, had a smaller recruiting base, and were not the product of years of careful preparation for a great expedition. The Achaemenid army was mostly infantry, based on conscription and land held in exchange for military service, and indeed was infantry-based at this period.

Two points here
1) The size of armies in ancient times is always based on literary sources, and they are always unreliable, they are always inflated. The only figures you can have some confidence on it is that given by military authors on their own forces, fo example the 22.000 Caesar said he had at Pharsalos (But I didn´t believe the 45.000+ he said Pompeius had)
2) The evidence of Persian inneficient logistics, when compared to the much more efficient Macedonian, can only give place to a logical conclusion Engels refused to see, Persian armies were smaller than those of Alexander