After conquering Lydia, Cyrus the Great was met by a Spartan

>>3051392

OP here with my thoughts.

It's important to note that the first Persian expedition under Darius I almost succeeded; the Greeks survived by the skin of their teeth. Mind you, that expedition did not see the full might of the Achaemenids descend upon the Greek City States. Darius had entrusted the campaign to several of his satraps, relying on satrapal armies to end the Greeks.

If Cyrus was to fully commit to subjugating Sparta, he could have done so. Perhaps even the whole of Greece. There was an near unlimited supply of experienced troops and commanders. Harpagus had plenty of experience fighting the hoplites successfully, which would have been useful in mainland Greece.

>>3051392
>He told the delegation that Sparta would have much to worry about if he lived
And? Spartan comebacks were pure gold.

>>3051392
>It's important to note that the first Persian expedition under Darius I almost succeeded; the Greeks survived by the skin of their teeth.
Are you high? It came nowhere near to accomplishing any of its objectives. It couldn't even maneuver itself properly, and lost to what essentially amounted to a citizen's militia. Even if the Persians had somehow won at Marathon, there's no indication they could actually have besieged a fortified Polis with what they had on hand.

>If Cyrus was to fully commit to subjugating Sparta, he could have done so. Perhaps even the whole of Greece. There was an near unlimited supply of experienced troops and commanders. Harpagus had plenty of experience fighting the hoplites successfully, which would have been useful in mainland Greece.
That worked out so well when Xerxes tried, or when you had the Delian league wars.