Xerxes Five Million Men

[hoplite14gr]

Aryaman2 I agree with you casualty suggestions not only for Antiedam but for almost all the battles of the 18th,19th and 20th c.entury. Most casualty stats agree or come close to ratio that you said.
In Xerxes case mismanagement, overconfidence, desease,starvation and desrtion were the case for the majority of casualties.
When I mentioned that "troops who loose hope die", I did not meant only battle casualties but every fatal adversity of the campaign.
In modern times we use or sometimes overuse the terms shell-shocked or war fatigue and I could go on and on mentioning cases but it would be out of the scope of the forum.
In 18th and 19th centuries warfare was considered "civilised" and few case of defeated or captured enemies masscre are mentioned.
In Platea though when the Persian fortification was compromised most of all these unfortunates where trapped in were probably killed especially by the vengeancefull troops of the overrun and plundered Greek areas.
But yes another number ended as slaves so they were lost for every future Persian Army.
But on the whole of Xerxes army I will agree with Rich. As I said from the begining I do not buy the millions figures but it certainly had to be big to be intimidating and big enough to crash under its own weight.
Xerxes found the hard way that it was possible to reaise large armies but dificult to sustain them.
Kind regards
Stefanos