How could this huge thing be defeated by tiny Greek city states?

actual soldiers vs. random dudes given spears

greeks wuz kangs

>>79110070
They were defending a land they know very well, also the logistics fucked the persians.

>>79110070
Maintaining such huge territory back when there were barely any type of transport was impossible, hence why they got btfo so hard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalanx

a row of spears > a row of running flesh

>Emperor Xerxes, the Greeks have blocked off a chokepoint
>ATTACK THEM
>My lord, they've slain thousands of us for every one of them we've injured, their defense is just too strong
>ATTACK THEM HARDER
>My lord, we are literally running out of soldiers
>I SAID HARDER

>>79110070
Bad luck and underestimation.

>>79110070
Every empire falls, as will the US

All great empires fall one day.