Ancient army numbers

[Ghostmojo]

Whilst lacking the specific details you point out Tom, I'm pretty sure they would have set up supply bases at regular intervals. Nominally, or actually, controlling territory right up to the Thessalian borders - this shouldn't have been too difficult.

Playing the devil's advocate, I would disagree here. I think that establishing supply bases in Europe would be very risky business for the Persians. There is no chance they would trust their "allies" with garrisoning and keeping the huge amounts of provisions stockpiled. Such an action would attract attacks and raids by the numerous hostile tribes and the willingness of the allies to put up resistance would be questionable...

It would be risky if they were left unattended, but they wouldn't have been. The supply bases would/could have been provisioned along the 'just-in-time' basis as the army approached. The army would be strung out along a very lengthy trail. The bases would have been provisioned accordingly, as and when, I guess. I don't think you would provision months ahead - the supplies wouldn't last that long. Several days perhaps - a week or two at the outside. We are talking the summer months after all.

I'm inclined towards around 100,000 - perhaps 150,000 men. Herodotos and other Greeks were bound to exaggerate the figures to make their success all the more remarkable. The mention of millions is clearly out of the question. That size of army 150K - plus (or including?) the defecting Greeks - would have been sufficient. Troops to garrison key strategic places along the route and troops to fight - and then troops to remain behind as occupying forces.

Mardonios wintered the bulk of the land forces in Thessaly after Xerxes buggered off back to Asia. Of that figure how many came back with him into Boiotia and Attika? The 300K figure for Plataia seems massive for a field army of that period; especially if we are to believe H that most of these were slaughtered.