PLAT.fi A AND MYCALE. 169

was made towards the plain of Plataea, where water was more abundant. They took up a new posi- tion near the Gargaphian Fountain (the modern Yer- gantiani). Here a hot debate arose between the Tegeans and Athenians, each demanding the honour of occupying the left wing (the Spartans always claimed the right), which was decided, chiefly on mythological grounds, in favour of the Athenians. The army was thus marshalled : on the right were five thousand heavy-armed Spartans, with thirty-five thousand light- armed Helots, and of other Laconians five thousand ; then the Tegeans, then the other Greek contingents, till on the extreme left six hundred Platseans stood by the side of eight thousand Athenians under Aristides. The decision of Greek battles mainly rested on the heavy- armed infantry. Each man of these was generally at- tended by his military servant, and looked upon himself as an officer and a gentleman. The Athenian contin- gent probably represented all who were not engaged on board the fleet. The remnant of the Thespians whose city as well as Platsea had been sacked eighteen hun- dred in number, were also there, but now too much impoverished to serve as heavy-armed. The sum total of the army was one hundred and ten thousand men, being less than one to three to the army of the king. Mardonius honoured the Spartans by confronting them with his best troops, the Persians; he posted his Medes, Bactrians, Indians, and Sacse opposite the other Greeks, and threatened the Athenians with his Greek and Macedonian allies. Besides his three hun- dred thousand, he had a number of small contingents, such as marines from the fleet, and perhaps fifty thou- sand Greek auxiliaries. It was not the custom for