Thanks for butting in Peace...

"Peace was an interruption of war" ~ Interviewee, An Empire Special: The Greeks, Crucible of Civilization

For the states surrounding Greece, and some of Greece itself, this statement remains true. Peace, was an interruption of war; when the cultures were at peace with one another, they were being interrupted. Specifically this can be said for Sparta. Their society; brought up to be soldiers, and militarily governed, the Spartans were all about war. Physically being the strongest military in the whole of the Greek region, Sparta was victorious in the battles they took part in. Since they lived purely on conflict and battle, it can be said that their society was at a stand still when there were no military acts or conflicts to engage in. Therefore, peace was an interruption of war.

Freedom vs. Opression

Until and unless you discover that money is the root of all good, you ask for your own destruction. When money ceases to become the means by which men deal with one another, then men become the tools of other men. Blood, whips and guns--or dollars. Take your choice--there is no other.

Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

I feel like this quote really sums up the difference between the Greeks and the Persians and why it was that the Greeks were able to beat them every time. The Greek people wanted to find a solution to protect their freedom, but the the Persians had nothing to lose in losing the battle because they had no freedom to begin with. They had nothing to fight for, other than fear of death and punishment. After years of that though, they begin to stop caring and that is why all oppressive dictators are doomed to fail.