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Thank you. It's a bright sunny day in 494 BC on the shores of Ionia, a region of ancient Greece on the west coast of modern Turkey. The military general Dionysius stands with his back to the ocean, the waves lapping at the heels of his leather sandals.

Before him, arrayed in bronze-plated armor and plumed helmets is a force of approximately 50,000 Greek soldiers.

At the blast of a horn, Dionysius turns and squints toward the horizon.

Around 600 Persian warships are ranged across the ocean, their black sails billowing,

thousands of oars churning the water until it froths white.

Dionysius turns back to address his frightened troops with a rallying cry.

O men of Ionia, our affairs stand on a razor's edge,

whether we are to be free men or whether we are to be slaves.

Stirred by their commander's words,

the Greeks charged down the beach towards their own ships moored in shallow waters.

Moments later, the Greek fleet sets sail, advancing to meet the Persians head-on.

Dionysia stands at the prow of his ship, watching the enemy armada draw closer.

Then the sky darkens as a shower of Persian arrows blot out the midday sun.

The Greeks raised their shields as the arrows rained down upon them.

Once the onslaught is over, the Greeks return fire, hurling javelins through the air and maneuvering

their ships through the Persian lines.

By now, ships of the two fleets are just feet apart.

Dionysius can see the vanguard of the Persian ships is merely the beginning.

...