Herodotus’ Stance for Democracy
...or aid in their fight against the Persians. Here, the Greeks displayed one of the major strengths of democracy, voting. They decided on the best course of action through majority rule. This way, the majority of the people were confident in their next move in battle. Since the Greeks had a choice, “each man was eager to do his job, knowing that his efforts were on his own behalf.” (Herodotus 5.78). A Greek’s struggle in battle had meaning if they were fighting for their own cause. This sparked an intense motivation to give their all. “They would turn their backs in unison as if they were in flight… then, just when the Persians were upon them, would wheel around, face the enemy, and inflict heavy losses on them.” (Herodotus 7.211). Although still out-numbered by the Persians, the Greeks displayed superior warcraft tactics. Voting, in turn prevented the people from being forced into a particular action without say and motivated them to fight fiercely in battle. The Persians on the other hand, were forced into battle with no say in the matter. At Thermopylae, Xerxes ordered the Medes and the Cissians to meet the Greeks in battle at the mountain pass. When the two sides met, the out-numbered Greeks hit the Persian forces hard. Herodotus states, “it was made clear to all, and especially to the king, that he had much manpower but few real men” (Herodotus 7.210). Xerxes had no justification for sending his forces when he did. He only sent them out of anger and eagerness to test the strength and numbers of the Greeks. The Medes and Cissians were subject to Xerxes’ word and noting else. When Herodotus referred to Xerxes having “much manpower but few real men,” he was saying the Persians army was not confident in their battle strategies. The men fighting did not have an incentive to fight intensely. Since the Persians were “the subjects of a ruler, they refused to give their all, since it seemed that they were fighting under the compulsion of a master…” (Herodotus 5.78). These men were fighting for a cause not their own. This episode depicts a weakness of Monarchy in the fact that the stance of one man, the king, does not inspire the people under his rule to fight passionately for his cause. Although voting can unify a people and allow them to express individual opinions, it can also divide them, dismissing the best interest of the group. Even though the Greeks held up against the Persians in the beginning at Thermopylae, the Persians soon began to have the upper hold. The Greeks deliberated on the issue of staying or leaving Thermopylae. However, the opinion was divided. “So the force split up; some departed and made their way in scattered bands to their several cities, while others resolved to remain and stand by Leonidas.” (Herodotus 7.219). In this case, voting weakened the Greeks defense against the Persians. This decision, although fairly voted, was not in the best interest of the Greeks. As a result, Xerxes destroyed the remaining Greek force. Although this part of democracy hindered the Greeks in this battle, Herodotus still favored democracy in the fact that he noted how the Greeks stood their ground even though they were about to meet their end. Herodotus claimed “it was [the Greeks], choosing to maintain the freedom of Greece, [who] repulsed the king. [Nothing] could persuade them to abandon Greece. They stood their ground and awaited the coming invader.” (Herodotus 7.138) The Greeks were not going to let the king, a monarchy drive them down. During the battle at Thermopylae, Herodotus praised the Greeks and their belief of democracy when he s...