Xerxes commanded his men to build a floating bridge but a violent storm subsequently destroyed their work.
Pontoon bridge xerxes. Pontoon Bridge - 480 BC A major obstacle in the path f the Persian King Xerxes army was the Hellespont a waterway at the head of the Aegean that was nearly a mile wide at its narrowest and separated Asia Minor from Europe. The best examples of pontoon bridges are those of Xerxes which were built across the Hellespont during the Persian invasion of Greece. Xerxes pontoon bridge was made of lots of boats across the channel that were connected so that the army could walk over them.
The best place to construct a pontoon bridge is according to wiki sources about 3 280 yards wide today. The narrowest part of the Dardanelles is 1530 yards today and it was likely wider during Xerxes time. Xerxes Pontoon Bridges were constructed in 480 BC during the second Persian invasion of Greece upon the order of Xerxes I of Persia for the purpose of Xerxes army to traverse the Hellespont the present day Dardanelles from Asia into Thrace then also controlled by Persia in the European part of modern Turkey.
Download this stock image. Did you know that when Xerxes tried to cross the Dardanelles straight to invade Greece in the 2nd Greco-Persian war he built a floating bridge which then collapsed because of sea currents. The Persian army under the rule of King Xerxes during the Persian invasion of Greece in 480BC.
The bridges were described by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus in his. To prevent the like disaster Xerxes caused this passage to be cut through the mountain broad enough to let two galleys with three banks of oars each pass in front. Also during the digging of a canal across the isthmus of Mount Athos the laborers were driven with whips 722-24.
Xerxes set out to conquer Greece in 481 BC but first his huge army had to cross the Hellespont a strait about 4409 feet 13 km wide. By this means he severed from the continent the cities of Dion Olophyxus Acrothoon Thysus and Cleone. Verily King Xerxes will cross thee whether thou wilt or no.
It held during Xerxes campaign quite well which speaks of its quality. An early pontoon bridge was constructed in 480 bce by Persian engineers to transport Xerxes invading army across the Hellespont Dardanelles. Xerxes Pontoon Bridges constructed in 480 BC during the second Persian invasion of Greece upon the order of Xerxes I of Persia for the purpose of Xerxes army to traverse the Hellespont from Asia into Thrace then also controlled by Persia.