The world in 479 BC — what happened that year

32 events the sources record for this year, grouped by region.

What happened

The Persians avoid a naval battle and climb to the foot of Mycale, where they fortify a wall (Herodotus, Histories 9.96-97)
The Greeks land, tear down the wall and win; Samos defects first, and Ionia revolts second (Herodotus, Histories 9.98-103)
The Greeks gather the spoils on the shore, burn the ships and the wall, and leave (Herodotus, Histories 9.106)
The Athenian army besieges Sestos, and the starving Persian troops slip out from the rear (Herodotus, Histories 9.114-118)
Artayctes is captured, dragged to the cape, and executed; the bridge ropes are brought back to Greece (Herodotus, Histories 9.119-121)
After the victory at Mycale, Athens and its allies besiege Sestos, winter there, and take it (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War 1.89.2)

Battle of Plataea: Mardonius was forced to extend his line deep, and he deployed his army. (Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 11.31.1)
Artabazus besieges Potidaea for three months but loses soldiers swept away by the sea (Herodotus, Histories 8.126-129)
Artabazus captures Olynthus (Herodotus, Histories 8.127)
The Greek fleet gathers at Aegina and then goes to Delos (Herodotus, Histories 8.131-132)
Mardonius spends the winter in Thessaly and has the oracles consulted (Herodotus, Histories 8.133-136) tradition
Alexander of Macedon brings Mardonius' peace proposal, but Athens refuses (Herodotus, Histories 8.140-144)
Because Sparta is late, Athens again evacuates to Salamis (Herodotus, Histories 9.6)
Pausanias' army leaves Sparta (Herodotus, Histories 9.11)
Mardonius retakes Athens, burns it, and tears down its walls, houses, and temples (Herodotus, Histories 9.13)
Mardonius attacks Megara, then returns to Boeotia by way of Decelea (Herodotus, Histories 9.14-15)