00:00 This section of the podcast introduces the topic of the Achaemenid Persian Empire and its dealings with the Greeks, and discusses the challenges of handling absolute power.

11:15 Cambyses II, the second ruler of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, is often portrayed as insane and cruel, but modern historians question this narrative and suggest a cover-up or conspiracy surrounding his reign.

21:18 Cambyses II, the ruler of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, is accused of committing cruel acts such as killing the children of prominent Egyptians and desecrating the sacred Apis Bowl, but modern historians have found evidence that contradicts these claims and suggests that Cambyses behaved as a normal Pharaoh would have.

32:06 Darius the Great carves a story on a mountainside to justify his rise to power, claiming that Cambyses killed his brother Bardia and kept it a secret, leading to a usurper claiming to be Bardia and Darius organizing an assassination squad to kill the imposter.

43:09 Darius carves a story on a mountainside to justify his rise to power, claiming to have killed the imposter king and taken the throne with the help of Ahura Mazda.

53:10 Darius, the new king, faces rebellion from various provinces in Persia, with rebel leaders claiming descent from the old royal family and being referred to as the "Liar Kings," leading to Darius having to fight multiple battles to quell the uprisings and treating captured rebel leaders brutally.

01:04:14 Darius, the new king, is described as a highly competent and innovative ruler who takes a more administrative approach to governing the Persian Empire, implementing reforms and organizing the empire in a lasting way.

01:14:18 Darius is described as an exceptional ruler who implements reforms, reorganizes the tribute system, carries out construction projects, and expands Persian authority to the east and northeastern Africa, creating a new dynastic and imperial order in the Achaemenid Persian Empire.

01:24:32 The Persian army during this time period was known for its archery and could potentially blot out the sun with their arrows, but the exact details of how battles were fought and the capabilities of the army are still debated among historians.

01:34:16 The Persian army in pre-gunpowder times had a battle formation that consisted of a front rank of shielded infantry protecting archers behind them, allowing them to shoot a large number of arrows at a distance and maintain a flexible formation that could strike from a distance or weaken enemies before engaging in hand-to-hand combat, making them highly effective against large mounted forces.

01:44:25 The Persians had a diverse army consisting of their own troops, mercenaries, and troops from various provinces of their empire, including exotic troops from the periphery, which showcased the breadth and scope of their empire and their ability to call on troops as needed.

01:54:08 The Persians struggle to deal with the Central Asian nomadic tribes, who use scorched earth tactics and refuse to engage in battle, leading to a prolonged pursuit and a difficult situation for King Darius.

02:05:47 Aristogoras of Miletus fails to convince the Spartans to invade Asia, but successfully persuades the Athenians to send 20 ships to help the Ionian Revolt, which ultimately leads to trouble for Greece and other peoples.

02:16:23 The Athenians declare war on Persia by sending 20 ships to aid the Ionian revolt, which leads to an existential threat to Athens and magnifies the importance of the conflict for Greece.

02:27:21 The Persian fleet attempts to round Mount Athos but is hit by a strong north wind, resulting in the destruction of about 300 ships and the loss of over 20,000 men, setting the stage for a larger and more organized Persian invasion of Greece.

02:39:00 The Persians continue their expedition to the Greek islands, conquering Naxos and Eritrea, exploiting divisions within the Greek cities and bringing back an old tyrant to help with regime change in Athens.

02:49:56 The ancient period of warfare is characterized by the distinctiveness of different cultures and their influence on warfare, such as the Persians being a combined arms army and the Greeks relying heavily on hoplite infantry, which raises the question of why some cultures develop unique weapons and soldiers that others cannot imitate.

03:00:56 The Athenians assemble a citizen militia of hoplites, joined by hoplites from Plataea, to block the Persians from expanding out into the countryside, and they wait for the Spartans to arrive.

03:11:18 The Battle of Marathon is a compelling story with incredible odds against the Athenians, who are outnumbered and lack cavalry and archers, but they decide to go on the offensive instead of waiting for the Spartans, and there are different interpretations and theories about how the battle actually unfolded.

03:21:54 The details of how hoplites fought in ancient battles are not clear, but modern-day historians have filled in the gaps with theories, such as Tom Holland's cinematic account of the Battle of Marathon where the Athenians advanced into combat and engaged in a pulverizing clash of metal into flesh and bone, ultimately overwhelming the enemy.

03:34:26 The main challenge in ancient battles was fear, as the instinctive flight or fight responses of soldiers were held in delicate balance by a thin string of intellect, and when panic spread, it was contagious and could lead to a route where the last soldiers to stand and fight were the most brave but also the most likely to be speared in the back during the pursuit.

03:45:01 The actions of a single soldier can cause panic to spread throughout an entire unit, and the fear and terror experienced in ancient battles is something that is exploitable and can be used to gain an edge in hand-to-hand combat.

03:55:24 The debate over whether ancient soldiers suffered from PTSD is interesting, with some modern day researchers pointing to examples of traumatic memory in ancient battles, while others argue that PTSD is a culturally conditioned response to trauma that originated in the 19th century.

04:05:58 The aftermath of the Battle of Marathon is frustrating because there is not enough information about how the battle went to discern anything, but the Greek victory becomes a part of mythology and the Athenians take great pride in it, while from the Persian point of view, Marathon may have just been a single setback on an expedition that had many positives, leading Darius to decide to lead a bigger, better prepared expedition to Greece himself.