The Greek War for Survival: The Persian-Greco Wars, 481 BCE

About the Committee:

Revenge is on the minds of the Persians, after the Greeks dealt two significant blows to Persian pride during the Ionian revolt and the battle of Marathon. Darius the Great may have died, but his son Xerxes is ready to continue the invasion of Greece and push Persia’s borders even further West. However, this time the Persian probes into Greece are different; massive infrastructure is being put into place to ensure safe travel and more stable supply lines. Meanwhile, the Greeks remain divided and ignorant of the geo-political world at large. Some poli look to join with Persia, others think the invasion is just an Athenian problem, and some just see the invasion as a way to get a leg up over their rivals. Delegates must manage this political sphere as the richest and largest empire on the planet sows discontent and prepares to conquer the peninsula.

A LETTER FROM THE DaiS:

Delegates, 

Welcome to the classical world and the Persian-Greco Wars. I am Bennett Lowe, your director for this committee. At the moment I am a senior at the University of Michigan, double majoring in history and political science. I have been doing Model UN throughout high school and college, making this my eighth year. I am also the co-logistics chair for the Kelsey Archaeological Museum, which is an awesome museum that you should try and check out. I have a passion for cooking, drawing up maps, and playing stupid games with my friends. 

My name is Jamie Feuerman and I’m excited to be your assistant director for the Persian-Greco Wars. I am a sophomore in LSA planning to double major in communication and media studies and political science. I have been in Model UN since my freshman year of high school, and this is my second year participating in MUNUM. Outside of MUNUM, I am in Michigan Political Consulting, Students for Whitmer, and a sorority. I also love reading, baking, listening to music and podcasts, and exploring Ann Arbor with my friends. I can’t wait to see the work that will be done in this committee!

This committee is going to take a more realistic approach to the time period, especially in regards to the Persians, so there may be some deep diving into Herodotus; as he is the only detailed primary source for this time period. Herodotus is a strange source, with lots of critical information on the classical world, and plenty of lies. Delegates will have to navigate personal rivalries between Greek city-states, as the Persian invasion becomes increasingly inevitable. The mythical status of Thermopylae, the lack of a Greek identity in this period, and Persia’s genius diplomacy, and many other topics will all feature centrally in this committee. I look forward to seeing how you all will navigate this complex and tricky topic; and have fun at MUNUM XXXVI!

If you have questions about the committee or other MUNUM related matters, we are available at bennetwl@umich.edu, and jamiefeu@umich.edu