The plot of the Persians begins to unfold from a point in time subsequent to the devastating defeat of the Persian forces at Salamis. At no point is there an attempt to provide a detailed and precise account of historical events.

What matters is merely to provide a version of historical truth, as dictated by the theatrical genre, and to highlight the timeless essence of things. Within a dramatic atmosphere, the cause of the evil must become clear, and the cycle of its disastrous consequences must be closed.

Xerxes, a hubristic warlord and bearer of Atë, is tragically guilty, as he recklessly sacrifices the "flower of the country" for his personal vanity and invites the punishment of the avenging Zeus. "When arrogance blooms, the ear of disaster bears fruit, and tears are all that remain for you to harvest," underscores the specter of the dead Darius.

However, beyond the abuse of power and disrespect, Xerxes' behavior constitutes hubris due to his inadequate appreciation of the strength of a world with a superior form of political organization, democracy.