Persian Invasion of 480 BC - articles

[Aryaman2]

Since number have been discussed before look on this example.
Before the democratic reforms for 505 B.C. 4 major warrior fraternities existed in Athens.
The Alkmeonide clan had more than 700 families (Androkides "Peri Mystirion") Tha other contesting clans Medontidae, Paionidae and Melanthidae must have about the same number. That makes roughly 4500 hoplites.
The democratic reforms and the 2000 kliroi of conquered Chalikis raise the number to the 10000 hoplites mentioned by Herodotus.
So at least a 50000 army or more would be needed against them in the 1st expedition in 490 B.C.
The excavated remains of the "Neosoikoi" (ships-homes) in Piraeus revealed a complex capable of supporitng 400 triremms
That is only the Athenians.
Xerxes who was aware of the Korinthos convention and the desision of Athens and Sparta to form a league that drew a mumber of important cities and uncertain about the wilingness of the city states considering to ally with him, must have estimated the 100000 fighting men that appeared finally in Platea if not more.
How many men must you mobilize to overcome 100.000?
Kind regards

Hi Stefanos
Note that your figures are based on literary sources, or at best on archaeological evidence that provides a maximum possible number, from that you start discounting. As I said repeatedly, the problem is that we don´t have documentary evidence, and don´t discount that the Persian army in any case was not greatly superior in force, it may could have been even inferior.
From literary evidence, I think the best source for the period is Thucydides, but only on Athenian forces, that he knew first hand, and IIRC the largest Athenian field army for his period he records is 7.000 at Delium.