Plataea

Plataea, or Plataia in Greek, was an ancient Greek city-state in Boeotia, located on the southern bank of the Asopus River near the Theban frontier. It was one of the region’s earlier communities and played a notable role in the Greek world through the classical period.

The city is best known for its involvement in the Persian Wars. In 479 BCE, the Battle of Plataea took place on the plains near the city, where a Greek coalition led by Sparta and including Athens and other city-states defeated the invading Persian army under Mardonius. The victory effectively ended the Persian invasion of Greece and contributed to the decline of Persian influence in the region.

After the Persian Wars, Plataea aligned with major Greek powers, including Sparta and Athens, and it maintained a degree of autonomy within Boeotia for a time. In the late 5th century BCE, Thebes attacked Plataea; the city was destroyed and its inhabitants were expelled or relocated, ending the city’s independent civic life on its site.

Archaeological remains at the site include fortifications and sanctuaries, with structures attributed to the acropolis and religious complexes associated with Athena. The site is near the modern village of Plataia in central Greece. Plataea’s memory persists in classical literature and history as the site of a decisive Greek victory over Persia and as an example of the shifting political fortunes of Boeotian city-states in the classical era.