Food supplies during Persian War

[hoplite14gr]

Alexander would see the events of 100 years before him and he could count on the support of the populations of Asia Minor both Greek and non Greek to provide him with re-enforcements.
Modern historians tend to ommit the sizable allied contignents of the Roman Armies. For example the Aetolians of Flamininus or the Gauls and Germans even Armenians and Pontics of Ceasar. So the Roman force was larger than thought to be.
Xerxes had seen the Asiatic Greek colonists being devided and defeated by his father. He expected the same in Greece and he raised a large army to cow the adversary in to submission. His allies were forced unreliable and likely to turn tail or "jump" him in the first oppotunity. Dont foget Mardonios and the Vrigae for example.
In Platea Thessalians and Phokians, though bitter enemies, swang right and left the Theban allies of Mardonius to be massacred by the Athenians,
The allies of the Romans were more reliable.
Kind regards