Dr. Roel Konijnendijk

And now Greece is very much within the orbit of the huge cultural sphere that is Persia. And to show that you were anybody in Athens, you wanted Persian things too. So that trade that Raoul talks about is certainly very apparent in the wealthy houses of Athens and permeating now down into lower echelons of Athenian society as well.

And now Greece is very much within the orbit of the huge cultural sphere that is Persia. And to show that you were anybody in Athens, you wanted Persian things too. So that trade that Raoul talks about is certainly very apparent in the wealthy houses of Athens and permeating now down into lower echelons of Athenian society as well.

That's precisely right, he does have. It's not the first thing on his agenda. Having put down Greece, he has to turn his attention to Babylon too, because at the changeover succession, of course, Babylon always is an issue for him. So he has to go and stabilize Babylon first. Now, of course, again, we don't have the Persian version of these accounts, okay?

That's precisely right, he does have. It's not the first thing on his agenda. Having put down Greece, he has to turn his attention to Babylon too, because at the changeover succession, of course, Babylon always is an issue for him. So he has to go and stabilize Babylon first. Now, of course, again, we don't have the Persian version of these accounts, okay?

That's precisely right, he does have. It's not the first thing on his agenda. Having put down Greece, he has to turn his attention to Babylon too, because at the changeover succession, of course, Babylon always is an issue for him. So he has to go and stabilize Babylon first. Now, of course, again, we don't have the Persian version of these accounts, okay?

But if you look at some of Xerxes' tribute lists... from Persepolis and from Susa, you'll see that the Jauner are listed as part of his empire already. So like, as far as he's concerned, they were never out of it. And who are the Jauner, just to remind us, who are the Jauner again? It's the kind of all-inclusive Persian word for Greeks, of Greeks of all sorts of people. So they're there.

But if you look at some of Xerxes' tribute lists... from Persepolis and from Susa, you'll see that the Jauner are listed as part of his empire already. So like, as far as he's concerned, they were never out of it. And who are the Jauner, just to remind us, who are the Jauner again? It's the kind of all-inclusive Persian word for Greeks, of Greeks of all sorts of people. So they're there.

But if you look at some of Xerxes' tribute lists... from Persepolis and from Susa, you'll see that the Jauner are listed as part of his empire already. So like, as far as he's concerned, they were never out of it. And who are the Jauner, just to remind us, who are the Jauner again? It's the kind of all-inclusive Persian word for Greeks, of Greeks of all sorts of people. So they're there.

They're next to the Egyptians and the Parthians and the Ethiopians. The Yauna are there. So as far as Xerxes is concerned, well, they've never gone anywhere. So it's hard to say from Xerxes' point of view when or why he decided to turn his attention to Greece. For that, I think we have to go back to the Greek sources.

They're next to the Egyptians and the Parthians and the Ethiopians. The Yauna are there. So as far as Xerxes is concerned, well, they've never gone anywhere. So it's hard to say from Xerxes' point of view when or why he decided to turn his attention to Greece. For that, I think we have to go back to the Greek sources.

They're next to the Egyptians and the Parthians and the Ethiopians. The Yauna are there. So as far as Xerxes is concerned, well, they've never gone anywhere. So it's hard to say from Xerxes' point of view when or why he decided to turn his attention to Greece. For that, I think we have to go back to the Greek sources.

And of course, it's worth reflecting as well that... This is all make-believe, of course, on the part of Herodotus. He was not in the conference room, nor any other Greek was there. And this is a typical Herodotian motif of inserting himself as the narrator into these closed council meetings so that he can hear the deliberation. But of course, it's all scripted by him.

And of course, it's worth reflecting as well that... This is all make-believe, of course, on the part of Herodotus. He was not in the conference room, nor any other Greek was there. And this is a typical Herodotian motif of inserting himself as the narrator into these closed council meetings so that he can hear the deliberation. But of course, it's all scripted by him.

And of course, it's worth reflecting as well that... This is all make-believe, of course, on the part of Herodotus. He was not in the conference room, nor any other Greek was there. And this is a typical Herodotian motif of inserting himself as the narrator into these closed council meetings so that he can hear the deliberation. But of course, it's all scripted by him.

Which is why Herodotus also interwinds ideas of dreams and omens into all of this as well. Xerxes is plagued by dreams, telling him to go forth and conquer, and he doesn't know what to do. And so Artabanus, he asks at one point, I'll go and sleep in my bed,

Which is why Herodotus also interwinds ideas of dreams and omens into all of this as well. Xerxes is plagued by dreams, telling him to go forth and conquer, and he doesn't know what to do. And so Artabanus, he asks at one point, I'll go and sleep in my bed,

Which is why Herodotus also interwinds ideas of dreams and omens into all of this as well. Xerxes is plagued by dreams, telling him to go forth and conquer, and he doesn't know what to do. And so Artabanus, he asks at one point, I'll go and sleep in my bed,

And like, you know, so in the royal bed and in the royal dressing gown, Atabanus gets exactly the same dream as Xerxes gets, you know, suddenly think, oh, yes, yes, that our fate, our destiny is to go over to Greece after all. So all of this is an integral part of the Herodotian system of creating these narratives.

And like, you know, so in the royal bed and in the royal dressing gown, Atabanus gets exactly the same dream as Xerxes gets, you know, suddenly think, oh, yes, yes, that our fate, our destiny is to go over to Greece after all. So all of this is an integral part of the Herodotian system of creating these narratives.

And like, you know, so in the royal bed and in the royal dressing gown, Atabanus gets exactly the same dream as Xerxes gets, you know, suddenly think, oh, yes, yes, that our fate, our destiny is to go over to Greece after all. So all of this is an integral part of the Herodotian system of creating these narratives.