Battle of Marathon in the Persian Wars

The Battle of Marathon was fought during the Persian Wars (498 BC–448 BC) between Greece and the Persian Empire. Date Using a proleptic Julian calendar, it is believed that the Battle of Marathon was fought on either August or September 12, 490 BC. Armies Commanders Greeks MilitiadesCallimachusArimnestusapprox. 8,000-10,000 men Persians DatisArtaphernes20,000-60,000 men Background In the wake of the Ionian Revolt (499 BC-494 BC), the emperor of the Persian Empire, Darius I, dispatched an army to Greece to punish those city-states that had aided the rebels. Led by Mardonius, this force succeeded in subjugating Thrace and Macedonia in 492 BC. Moving south towards Greece, Mardonius fleet was wrecked off Cape Athos during a massive storm. Losing 300 ships and 20,000 men in the disaster, Mardonius elected to withdraw back towards Asia. Displeased with Mardonius failure, Darius began planning a second expedition for 490 BC after learning of political instability in Athens. Conceived as a purely maritime enterprise, Darius assigned command of the expedition to the Median admiral Datis and the son of the satrap of Sardis, Artaphernes. Sailing with orders to attack Eretria and Athens, the fleet succeeded in sacking and burning their first objective. Moving south, the Persians landed near Marathon, approximately 25 miles north of Athens. Responding to the impending crisis, Athens raised around 9,000 hoplites and dispatched them to Marathon where they blocked the exits from the nearby plain and prevented the enemy from moving inland. They were joined by 1,000 Plataeans and assistance was requested from Sparta. Encamping on the edge of the Plain of Marathon, the Greeks faced a Persian force numbering between 20-60,000. Enveloping the Enemy For five days the armies squared off with little movement. For the Greeks, this inactivity was largely due to a fear of being attacked by the Persian cavalry as they crossed the plain. Finally, the Greek commander, Miltiades, elected to attack after receiving favorable omens. Some sources also indicate that Militiades had learned from Persian deserters that the cavalry was away from the field. Forming his men, Militiades reinforced his wings by weakening his center. This saw the center reduced to ranks four deep while the wings featured men eight deep. This may have been due to the Persians tendency to place inferior troops on their flanks. Moving a brisk pace, possibly a run, the Greeks advanced across the plain towards the Persian camp. Surprised by the Greeks audacity, the Persians rushed to form their lines and inflict damage on the enemy with their archers and slingers. As the armies clashed, the thinner Greek center was quickly pushed back. The historian Herodotus reports that their retreat was disciplined and organized. Pursuing the Greek center, the Persians quickly found themselves flanked on both sides by Militiades strengthened wings which had routed their opposite numbers. Having caught the enemy in a double envelopment, the Greeks began to inflict heavy casualties on the lightly armored Persians. As panic spread in the Persian ranks, their lines began to break and they fled back to their ships. Pursuing the enemy, the Greeks were slowed by their heavy armor, but still managed to capture seven Persian ships. Aftermath Casualties for the Battle of Marathon are generally listed as 203 Greek dead and 6,400 for the Persians. As with most battles from this period, these numbers are suspect. Defeated, the Persians departed from the area and sailed south to attack Athens directly.   Anticipating this, Militiades quickly returned the bulk of the army to the city. Seeing that the opportunity to strike the previously lightly-defended city had passed, the Persians withdrew back to Asia. The Battle of Marathon was the first major victory for the Greeks over the Persians and gave them confidence that they could be defeated. Ten years later the Persians returned and won a victory at Thermopylae before being defeated by the Greeks at Salamis. The Battle of Marathon also gave rise to the legend that the Athenian herald Pheidippides ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce the Greek victory before dropping dead. This legendary run is the basis for the modern track and field event. Herodotus contradicts this legend and states that Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta to seek aid before the battle. Selected Sources Battle of MarathonPersian Wars: Battle of Marathon

Geography of Japan Essay - 2320 Words

Japan is known for its contemporary culture and advancement in electronics and engineering. We could also learn from the traditions Japan can offer. From advancement in cars and electronic devices, Japan holds on to ancient arts and traditions that play a role in their daily life. Japan has various climates from tropical in the south to cooler temperatures in the north, and the famous tourist site of the active volcano Mount Fuji. Mount Fiji is the highest mountain in Japan, with a tundra climate the temperature is low and covered with snow causing. The average temperature is always below freezing, excluding the summer. Geography of Japan Japan is a country made up by a chain of thousands of islands on the Pacific Ocean. Japan†¦show more content†¦Chubu has the highest and most famous landmark of Japan Mount Fuji; some of the longest rivers in Japan are located along the Sea of Japan. Its three industrial areas, the first one Chukyo industrial zone are where Toyota Motors is located. The second industrial zone is called Tokai and is where Yamaha is located, and the third industrial location is called Hokuriku where chemicals, medicines, tourism, and a variety of rice is produced. Shikoku region is the smallest of the four main islands and has high steep mountains that do not allow much of farming. The climate is subtropical and is known for its large whirlpools. The Tohoku region located in the northeastern made of gigantic mountains. This area has short summers and long winters and is used for agricultural with over half of this land is rice fields. Kinki/Kansai region is where Osaka and Kobe are lo cated. Rice and citrus fruit are produced here allowed with fishing and lumbering: these industries are important for Japan and are the second most important area for Japan. Also in the Kinki/Kansai region is where one of the important ports for Japans trading. Kansai refers not to the location but to cultural and history of Kinki area. Kyushu and Okinawa are two different locations, but in the same region. They are the furthest south of the four major regions made up of more than 1,400 islands. Okinawa is an island by itself and theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Geography Of Japan464 Words   |  2 Pagesthan any other nation in the world, Japan is shaped by its geography to a tremendous extent. Technically classified as an archipelago, Japan is a curved chain of four islands (Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, plus over a thousand smaller islands). However, it is first and foremost an island nation, a fact which isolated Japan from the rest of the world. The second largest i nfluence in Japanese geography is the size of the nation. The total area of Japan proper is a little under 143 thousandRead MoreJapan s Culture And Its Unique Geography Essay847 Words   |  4 PagesJapan’s culture began with its unique geography as an island that is separated and isolated from other East Asian countries. While there are many theories about modern’s Japanese ancestor; however, most Japanese archaeologists believe the first people that lived and colonized in Japan was the Ainu. The combined evidence of archeology, anthropology, and genetics have shown the indistinctive look between Ainu and the modern Japanese. In their overall genetic makeup, the Ainu are related to other EastRead MoreThe Geography 101 Course Essay Essay894 Words   |  4 PagesThrough the Geography 101 course, I have become increasingly familiar with certain concepts that are easily applicable to cities and countries that I am familiar with. These concepts help me fully understand t he geographic situation occurring in these locations. One location that has been brought up many times throughout the semester and I have increased with familiarity is Japan. This location is constantly changing and growing. It exports many different vehicle and machinery parts, and is at theRead MoreMKT 315 WK 6 QUIZ 4 CHAPTERS 8 91272 Words   |  6 Pagesused in the text to analyze markets in relation to channel design strategy consists of all of the following dimensions except: a. Market density. b. Market behavior. c. Market reputation. d. Market geography. e. Market size. 4. According to the text, the most complex market dimension is: a. Market geography. b. Market size. c. Market coverage. d. Market behavior. e. Market price. 5. It is the __________ that should drive channel design. a. structure of competitive channels b. level of costs c. needsRead MoreJapanese History and Culture Essay1013 Words   |  5 PagesJapan has always been an ever changing country. From the time when the emperor ruled and governed the country to the time when the emperor lost decision making power and became a symbol of national unity. 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The Japanese attackedRead MoreAp World History Essay: Comparing and Contrasting China and Japans Responses to Western Penetration in the 19th Century658 Words   |  3 PagesJapan and China had many contrasting responses to western penetration in the nineteenth century, including economic interaction - economically China suffered and Japan prospered, Japanese agricultural productivity increased while China’s did not, and China only accepted a small amount of goods while Japan accepted a wide range of goods- and political interaction - China went to war but Japan did not, Japan adopted western learning styles but China did not, and Japan heavily increased taxes on theirRead MoreWhat the World Eats, by Peter Menzel1750 Words   |  7 Pagesholds out a can of something altered and edible, and a young girl perched near her mother clutches a bag of potato chips to her chest as if claiming it as solely he r own. This is the scene depicted in a photograph of the Ukita family in Kodaira City, Japan as part of a series taken by Peter Menzel for the book â€Å"What the World Eats†. This series of photographs illustrates not only what people eat in different parts of the world, but also how their families, and lives as fellow humans can so closely resembleRead MoreFrom Chernobyl to Fukushima Essay1056 Words   |  5 PagesNot only will the world suffer emotionally from this tragedy emotionally but economically as well. We all know that geography is the ultimate reason behind the disaster. Japan is located at the junction of a web tectonic- plate, resulting in this island being particularly vulnerable to ground-shaking episodes, more than almost anywhere else (Winchester). Although, geography is not the only factor that played a role in this event. Topography greatly affected the death and disaster (Winchester)

Financial Management Policies-Free-Samples-Myassignmenthelp.com

Questions: 1.Critically evaluate Aveos Financial Management policies and practices with respect to their Social Responsibility and social outcomes of their actions 2.Using publicly available data, analyse Aveo as an investment proposition with particular reference to its share price history and history of traded volumes over the past 2 years. Answers: Introduction Efficient financial management is the essence of an organization and this is the reason why financial management policies like capital management, dividend policy are given due recognition. In relation to Aveo Group, the policies implemented by it have assisted it to make a strong progress over the years. An analysis has been done to shed light on the goals of Aveo and whether the corporation should consider the influence of financial decision on sustainability and responsibility. Goals of Aveo Firstly, the Group intends to obtain continuity of flexibility and funding and for such purpose, it utilizes bank loans, overdraft facilities, finance leases, etc in addition to other sources of income. It also reviews its current lines of funding so that future requirements can be addressed. This allows the Group to enhance its flexibility by matching the profiles of cash flow requirements with that of short-term investments. Further, this also allows for timing the negotiation of various credit facilities (Bauer Hann, 2010). This assists the Group in enhancing the efficacies of their social responsibility actions that is its main priority. Secondly, it recognizes the importance of management of capital and for such purpose; it ensures that a mix of funding options are utilized. Besides, this is done in alignment with the objective of maximizing shareholders returns. Further, it intends to maintain a capital structure that can assure a lowest available WACC (weighted average cost o f capital). In relation to this, the Group attempts to maintain its gearing ratio in the range of ten and twenty percent. This can be proved by the fact that its gearing ratio was 17.4% in the year 2015. Moreover, in order to attain advantage from variations in the cost of capital, the Group may adjust such capital structure including variations in dividend payable to shareholders, adjusting the level of debts, etc (Damodaran, 2010). Thirdly, in order to ensure that the resources of the Group are not hampered, it ensures that customers who are willing to trade on credit terms are properly subjected to credit scrutinization processes including an evaluation of their financial position, regulation of industries, etc. Further, the Group also possesses a cash management policy that allows it to maintain liquid cash and other portfolio investments so that preservation of cash is done at all times (Melville, 2013). This can play a key role for the Group in the proper investment of resourc es for the attainment of prime goals and objectives (Bauer Hann, 2010). Moreover, management of working capital can also be done with the help of such financial management practice so that future complications and risks can be avoided, and the resources can be committed to enhancing the lives of aged people in Australia. Fourthly, Aveo also possesses a securities trading policy wherein employees and directors are restricted from dealing in the securities of the company especially in the prevalence of price-sensitive information in order to safeguard insider trading (Aveo, 2017). Lastly, in relation to investments, the Group has an investment policy wherein when it comes to joint ventures and associates; the same is done through an equity-accounted investment measure so that the key social objective of development of retirement villages can be easily taken care of (Williams, 2012). Code of ethics, ethical theories, corporate social responsibility In relation to financial decisions on social responsibility and sustainability, not a slight carelessness can be undertaken. This is because of the fact that Aveo being badly accused of ripping its customers at their retirement villages even though it intends to maximize social responsibility through their actions. Even though Aveo is focused on retirement only by investing more than $700 million towards retirement items and services, yet it must consider the ramification of their financial decisions towards on sustainability and social responsibility. Aveo denies that it pursues a policy to churn the residents and states that most of its residents are happy. However, the truth is that the company has used complicated contracts and exorbitant fees to enhance its profits (Paradise Rogoff, 2009). Moreover, even though the company has denied to the same, yet there are cases of many residents facing intense issues because of the company (Kruger, 2015). This can be proved by the fact tha t the companys three different sources of income, despite being focused towards the lifestyle of residents, yet are causing troubles to them. The Group rakes in cash from the sales price received from the occupants, it also charges a management fee for various services offered, and a deferred management fee (DMF) is also taken after vacation of the unit. All these have fetched immense profits to the Group as it rose to $116 million in 2016 surpassing the expectations of the analysts. The accusations implanted upon the Group have made it realize that many customers were let down because of its financial decisions on sustainability and therefore, it has reconsidered its plans by strengthening and improving its own complaints and processes of incident handling that includes a need for independent mediation (Libby et. al, 2011). Further, it has also endeavored to make its contracts simpler so that the residents have adequate certainties about what they spend (Aveo, 2017). Moreover, it c an be seen from the annual report of Aveo that it has taken every relevant step to ensure that its customers are properly looked after but it must also consider the consequences of their financial decisions because many consumers encountered losses and other issues because of the Groups policy. According to various investigations, it was found that many residents were slipping through cracks in the regulatory system. This is because many authorities like the Consumer Affairs did not have enough powers to prevent such business practice of Aveo (Albuquerque et. al, 2013). Even lawyers have defined various clauses in the contracts of Aveo as draconian and complex. Therefore, on a whole, even though the major corporate Aveo has denied all the allegations, yet residents have encountered issues both mentally and financially. The Group intends to enhance the living style of its customers but every time it was proved that its main intention is to enhance profits. Besides, most of its profits derived from exit fees in the year 2016 that shows how much unsatisfied the consumers were. Hence, even if the accusations are untrue, the problems occurred to the residents cannot be unreal and it is just because of the ineffective financial decisions conducted by the company (Aveo, 2017). Thus, the Group must take into account the ramifications of their decisions on sustainability because if not, more residents will be caught in such financial prison. 2.Aveo as an Investment Going by the overall study and an in-depth research it can be said that the customers remained unsatisfied with the company and it is purely dedicated on reaping profits leaving other factors ignored. As per the study, it is seen that the acts of the organization have led to major issues and has affected the performance. Therefore, as per the evaluation, it can be said that the company is riding under immense difficulties and hence, any wrong or negative new can badly degrade its position in the stock market (Damodaran, 2012). Hence, investment at the current juncture would lead to difficulty as volatility is present and share has taken a sharp dive. Therefore, for the purpose of investment, it must be left to operate and must be kept under the radar so that a decision can be taken in the near future. Causes of fluctuations in the share price and the volumes traded The Aveo group share price pattern reveals that there has been volatility in the share prices. However, the overall trend was strong until 2017 where the graph was indicating higher high and higher low. However, in the year 2017, the share price plunged owing to negative media investigation that concerns the operational performance. The share prices of Aveo group became the worst performers on the Australian Stock Exchange when it declined by eleven percent following the allegations made by Four Corners and Fairfax Media. However, the company has witnessed major volatility in the prices of its shares and even the volume in the last two years. The major underlying reasons behind such volatility can be attributed to the performance of the Group and satisfaction on the part of its residents. When it comes to volatility it affects the prices of the shares and the volume too (Davies Crawford, 2012). Before such investigation claiming unethical practices conducted on the part of the Group, there were customers who were unsatisfied with the contracts of the company. For such purpose, Aveo endeavored to simplify the contracts in a way that it makes it simpler for the residents to understand. This assisted in enhancing the share prices of the Group and it can be proved by the fact that based on a survey, more than ninety percent of residents were satisfied with the services provided by the company (Ronngard, 2016). In addition, since the past two years following the rollout of Aveo contract, more than 2000 customers have gained from the simplification of the contract and it is increasing day-by-day. Moreover, this has resulted in doubling the profits of the company that has enhanced its share price by 10pc in the year 2017. Further, in the year 2016, the acquisition of Freedom Aged Care Pty Ltd allowed the company to diversify its services across Australia that also increased its prices of shares (Aveo, 2017). Furthermore, one year ago, the company moved to full authority over another operator named Retirement Villages Group that allowed it to absorb the remaining twenty seven percent of the stake it did not hold. As a result, there was an enhanced contribution from the sales of development units that was greater than the sales of its current units. This can be proved by the fact that the Group recorded an interim sales of 108 (development) in comparison to 29 of 353 overall sales that incurred in the first half of 2016. Besides, the development arm of the company contributed more than eight percent to the earnings of the Group in the past years that have in turn maximized its share prices. However, even though the company recorded efficient results, yet its practices became questionable under the eyes of the law that eventually played a key role in decreasing its share prices (Horngren, 2013). Besides, even though the contracts were simplified, yet many residents were unhappy and when the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took over the case, hearing such news resulted in a decline of its share price by 5pc. Any questionable fact is considered by the market with utmost negativity and impacts the smooth operation of the company (Benabou Tirole, 2010). Due to all these questionable practices on the part of the Group, it finally decided to launch a $145 million buyback program so that it can enhance the prices of its shares. However, the Group could not encounter the questionable allegations even though it spent millions on advertising to avoid such accusations (Aveo, 2017). This resulted in a class action against the Group that declined its share prices by more than ten percent. Therefore, it is imperative that the company failed to prove the reason and give a complete justification of the happening. Hence, any further proceedings in the case can lead to more volatility and hence, Aveo at present is under difficulties and should not be considered for any investment purpose. It must be allowed to resurrect so that the trend or the pattern can be known. Conclusion The study above clearly indicates that Aveo has faced difficulty in operation and is mainly due to the external scenario. Hence, it is the duty of the management to ensure that the company should be free from all such allegation by laying down a structure of strong corporate governance. It needs to be noted that any wrong or negative news can bring the stock prices to a big fall. This affects the goodwill of the company and leads to a disturbance in the stock market. Overall, the market scenario of the company remains in a bearish mode and the sharp plunge in the stock prices must be considered before taking any vital decision. In all probability, the current scenario of the company is not a good bet for investment. At present the trend is unknown and hence, the stock must be left to operate on its own and decision must be taken accordingly. References Albuquerque, R, Durnev, A, Koskinen, Y 2013, Corporate social responsibility and firm risk: theory and empirical evidence, Boston University. Aveo 2017, AOG - AVEO GROUP - Share Prices, Company News and Announcements, viewed 2 September 2017 https://www.smh.com.au/business/markets/quotes/price-history/AOG/aveo-group Bauer, R Hann, D 2010, Corporate environmental management and credit risk, Maastricht University. Benabou, R Tirole, R 2010, Individual and Corporate Social responsibility, Ecnomica vol.11, pp. 1-19 Damodaran, A 2010, Applied Corporate Finance: A Users Manual, New York: John Wiley Sons Damodaran, A 2012, Investment Valuation, New York: John Wiley Sons. Davies, T. Crawford, I 2012, Financial accounting, Harlow, England: Pearson. Horngren, C 2013, Financial accounting, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W: Pearson Australia Group. Kruger, P 2015, Corporate goodness and shareholder wealth, Journal of Financial economics, pp. 304-329 Libby, R., Libby, P. and Short, D 2011,Financial accounting, New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Melville, A 2013, International Financial Reporting A Practical Guide, 4th edition, Pearson, Education Limited, UK Paradise, R Rogoff, B 2009, Side by Side: Learning by Observing and Pitching In, Ethos, vol. 37, pp. 102138 Ronngard, H 2016, Aveo Group Climbs 8% after Confirming Acquisition, viewed 2 September 2017 https://www.moneymorning.com.au/20160218/aveo-group-climbs-8-after-confirming-acquisition-cw.html Williams, J 2012, Financial accounting, New

Isaiah Berlin Essays - Social Philosophy, Libertarian Theory

Isaiah Berlin Isaiah Berlin became one of our century's most important political theorists for liberty and liberalism in an age of totalitarianism. He was born in Riga, Latvia in 1909 into a well to do Jewish family. At the age of 12 he moved to Petrograd and experienced first hand the Bolshevik revolution, which would later influence his intellectual ideas about totalitarianism (Gray 3). In 1921 his family moved to London and sent Isaiah to school. His schooling lead him to Oxford where he took a position as philosophy professor in 1931. His English schooling led him to become a disciple of classical liberalism in the English tradition of Mill, Locke, and others (Berger). During World War II the British put him to work in their Foreign Service department where he became a favorite advisor of Churchill (Honderich 92). After the war his major political theory was developed as he moved into political philosophy and history as his areas of emphasis. His most famous and important works, a lecture, "Two Concepts on Liberty", and an essay, "The Hedgehog and the Fox" where produced in the 1950's. Knighted in 1957 and he became the first Jewish fellow at Oxford's All Souls College and chair of social and political theory at Oxford. After that he later became president of the newly created Wolfson College and then President of the British Academy (Honderich 92). After his death in 1997 historian Arthur Schlesinger stated that he is one of the finest liberal thinkers and political theorists of the twentieth century (Schlesinger 1). Isaiah Berlin is unique among intellectuals in the fact the he didn't produce a magnum opus during his life. He stated, "that he had no desire to sit in front of a desk with a blank piece of paper," and didn't care about it influencing his academic legacy (Berger). Most of his works came in the form of essay's and lectures, as his two most famous are, "The Hedgehog and the Fox" and "Two Concepts of Liberty." He wrote few actual books and had most of his work collected and published by Henry Hardy, once of his graduate students (Gray 4). He never tried to advocate a certain political philosophy and was actually quite against any "right" political philosophy. Through his essays and lectures he made critiques on the current systems and made observations on liberty, nationalism, and socialism. A strict stand against totalitarianism is one of the concepts that can be seen throughout much of Berlin's work. His strong liberal views clashed with totalitarianism in age where it dominated. Much of his distaste also came from his own personal experience with communism and fascism. He lived during the Russian Revolution and saw first hand its effect on the Russian people. "I was never pro-communist. Never...anyone who had, like me, seen the Russian revolution at work was not likely to be tempted (Houston Chronicle News Service)." He detested fascism but not as vocally as communism since most of it had been eradicated during World War II. Berlin had relatives during World War II left in Riga who where killed both by Nazi and Soviet Communist forces (Gray 3). This fact no doubt further heightened his contempt for both systems. An essay in 1953 entitled the "Hedgehog and the Fox" became one of his most popular works in the United States. Taking its name from a line by the Greek poet Archilochus, it was one part literary criticism on War and Peace and an attack on the inevitability of history (Greenburg). Initially published under the title "Leo Tolstoy's Historical Sceptiscism" he changed it to the, which according to British Publisher George Weidenfeld did more for his reputation than any other (Greenburg). Berlin asserted that individual's act freely in history and has a choice in their destiny. Tolstoy took the Marxian view that history was inevitable. "The characters despite the constraints of circumstance according to Berlin act freely and thus are morally accountable for their decisions" (Greenburg). Berlin thought that the characters still had free wills over their choices despite the situation they where in and thus history was undecided. This attack on historical inevitability shows Berlin's distaste for Marx's philosophy, particularly the Bolshevik brand of communism. Berlin's contention with the Marxian view of history has to do with historical anthropology of Marx. Marx asserts in his works that national culture would simply go away under communism and if it did survive, it wouldn't hold any political importance (Gray 94). He strongly stands against this view on the grounds humans being so vastly different in culture