The ancient Greeks believed that they defeated the overwhelming numbers of the Persians because they were Greeks, Greek free men, whereas the Persian army and navy were a motley of subject peoples, client state vassals, mercenaries in a sense; in any event, people fighting mainly or only for someone else.
I haven't studied it closely, but I would be surprised if this judgment, going back to antiquity, has been challengeable really.
Question: Was it their Greekness, or their freeness, that enabled them to overcome the Persians?
If you think it was either their freeness, or both, well then, why?
After all, the Spartans, who did not believe in Athenian democracy, nevertheless fought with the other Greeks who won.
Question: Was it their Greekness, or their freeness, that enabled them to overcome the Persians?
If you think it was either their freeness, or both, well then, why?
After all, the Spartans, who did not believe in Athenian democracy, nevertheless fought with the other Greeks who won.
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