Why the Persian king Xerxes burnt the city of Athens to the ground

The conflict between Persia and Greece began in 499 BCE, when the Ionian city-states, under Persian control, revolted against their rulers.

The Ionians sought to free themselves from Persian domination. This rebellion, known as the Ionian Revolt, lasted until 493 BCE when the Persians, under King Darius I, crushed the uprising.

Although distant from the revolt’s epicenter, Athens provided military support to the Ionians, sending ships and soldiers to aid their cause.

This intervention infuriated the Persian king, Darius I, who saw it as a direct challenge to his authority.

As a result, Darius vowed to punish the Greek cities that had dared to interfere, particularly Athens, whose involvement had embarrassed his empire. 

In 490 BCE, Darius launched his first invasion of Greece. His army landed at the plains of Marathon.

The Athenians stood largely alone, receiving only minor reinforcements from Plataea.

Against all odds, the Athenians managed to secure a surprising victory, defeating the Persian army and forcing their retreat.

Their victory at the Battle of Marathon was a significant blow to Persian pride.

After this humiliation, Darius set his sights on a second invasion but never saw it realized, as he died in 486 BCE.  

His son, Xerxes I, inherited the throne and ruled over the largest empire the world had ever seen.

Although Xerxes had little military experience at the start of his reign, he possessed a firm belief in his divine right to rule, which fueled his desire to expand Persia's borders.

He sought to consolidate control over the far reaches of the empire, but the Greek city-states stood as a stubborn obstacle in his path.

After quelling a rebellion in Egypt shortly after his accession, Xerxes turned his attention to Greece.

By gathering a vast army from various regions under his control, including Medes, Babylonians, and Egyptians, he aimed to crush the Greeks once and for all. 

Xerxes I began his invasion of Greece in 480 BCE with a force said to number over 100,000 soldiers, accompanied by a fleet of around 1,200 ships.

Although many ancient sources, such as Herodotus, inflated the numbers, it is clear that Xerxes commanded one of the largest military forces of the ancient world.

His plan aimed to conquer Greece in one swift campaign, using the overwhelming size of his army to crush any resistance.

To secure his passage into Greece, Xerxes ordered the construction of a massive bridge of boats across the Hellespont.  

The Greeks rapidly organized a coalition of city-states to defend their homeland. Athens and Sparta, who had been bitter rivals, temporarily set aside their differences to lead this alliance.

The first significant clash came at Thermopylae, a narrow mountain pass where King Leonidas of Sparta led a force of around 7,000 Greeks to delay the Persian advance.

After several days of brutal fighting, Xerxes’ forces, aided by a treacherous Greek named Ephialtes, outflanked the Greeks by discovering a hidden mountain path.

Leonidas and his famous 300 Spartans fought to the death, but the Persians ultimately overwhelmed them.

This defeat, however, bought the Greek city-states crucial time to prepare for future battles. 

While Xerxes secured victory at Thermopylae, the role of Athens immediately recognized the threat to their city.

So, they evacuated to the island of Salamis. Although Athens had to be abandoned, its fleet remained intact. 

After the Athenians had abandoned their city and retreated to the island of Salamis, Xerxes entered an empty Athens with his army.

A few Athenians citizens had chosen to stay behind, some to defend their homes and others to protect sacred sites like the Acropolis.

Those who remained were either killed by Persian soldiers or captured. While precise figures are unknown, the death toll was likely in the hundreds. 

Xerxes could have simply occupied the city, but instead, he made the decision to destroy the city.

The Persians burned many key structures, including temples, homes, and public buildings.

The Acropolis, one of Athens’ most important religious sites, suffered significant damage as the Persians set fire to its temples and statues.

Many of the city's wooden structures were consumed by the flames, and some estimates suggest that most of the buildings within Athens were either destroyed or heavily damaged. 

In particular, by ordering the destruction of the Acropolis, Athens’ most sacred and revered site, he aimed to demoralize the Greeks.

The sight of their beloved temples reduced to ashes would serve as a powerful reminder of Persian strength.

In his mind, the ruins of Athens would stand as a deterrent to other Greek city-states that might consider resistance.

Although the city held no military value at that moment, its destruction sent a clear message to all who opposed him.

Ultimately, Xerxes viewed the burning of Athens as a fitting punishment for their years of defiance against Persian authority. 

The immediate consequences of the burning of Athens were devastating for the Athenians.

Their homes, temples, and cherished monuments lay in ruins, and the city they had built over centuries was reduced to smoldering ashes.

Though the Athenians were now homeless, the loss of their city fueled their desire to resist Xerxes even more fiercely.

For the Greeks, the destruction of such a prominent city, particularly the sacred Acropolis, was a grim reminder of Persia’s abuse of absolute monarchical power.

For some, it struck fear into their hearts and caused a few city-states to reconsider their stance in the war.

However, for the Athenians and their allies, it had the opposite effect. Rather than breaking their spirits, the loss of Athens galvanized their resolve to fight back. 

The remining Greeks, led by both Athens and Sparta, united in a common cause to repel the invader.

Athens' role as the leader of the Greek navy became even more critical, as their fleet played a decisive part in the subsequent Battle of Salamis.

Themistocles, the Athenian commander, lured the Persian navy into the confined waters between Salamis and the mainland, where their large numbers became a disadvantage.

Xerxes’ fleet, consisting of over 1,000 ships, struggled to maneuver, and confusion quickly spread among the Persian ranks.

Meanwhile, the Greek triremes, numbering around 370, capitalized on their superior knowledge of the waters and attacked the Persian ships with devastating ramming techniques.

As the Persian fleet broke apart, their losses mounted, and their morale crumbled. 

After the defeat, Xerxes realized that continuing his campaign in Greece would be risky.

Fearing further losses, he withdrew much of his army back to Asia, leaving a contingent behind under Mardonius to continue the fight.

This withdrawal marked a turning point in the invasion, as Xerxes no longer held the upper hand.

Although he had devastated Athens, the defeat at Salamis shattered his plans of subjugating all of Greece.