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Conflict in Conflict in the Greek the Greek

WorldWorld

Focus Question Focus Question 

How did war with How did war with invaders and conflict invaders and conflict

among Greeks affect the among Greeks affect the city-states?city-states?

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The Persian Wars The Persian Wars Persians conquered a huge empire stretching from Asia Minor to the border Persians conquered a huge empire stretching from Asia Minor to the border

of India. Their subjects included the Greek city-states of Ionia in Asia Minor. of India. Their subjects included the Greek city-states of Ionia in Asia Minor. Though under Persian rule, these Ionian city-states were largely self-Though under Persian rule, these Ionian city-states were largely self-governing. Still, they resented their situation. governing. Still, they resented their situation.

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In 499 B.C., In 499 B.C., Ionian Greeks Ionian Greeks rebelled against rebelled against Persian rule. Persian rule. Athens sent ships Athens sent ships to help them. As to help them. As the historian the historian Herodotus wrote Herodotus wrote some years later, some years later, “These ships were “These ships were the beginning of the beginning of mischief both to mischief both to the Greeks and to the Greeks and to the barbarians.” the barbarians.”

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Athenians Win at Marathon Athenians Win at Marathon The Persians soon crushed the rebel cities. However, Darius I was furious The Persians soon crushed the rebel cities. However, Darius I was furious

at the role Athens played in the uprising. In time, Darius sent a huge force at the role Athens played in the uprising. In time, Darius sent a huge force across the Aegean to punish Athens for its interference. The mighty Persian across the Aegean to punish Athens for its interference. The mighty Persian army landed near Marathon, a plain north of Athens, in 490 B.C. The army landed near Marathon, a plain north of Athens, in 490 B.C. The Athenians asked for help from neighboring Greek city-states, but received Athenians asked for help from neighboring Greek city-states, but received little support little support

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The Persians greatly The Persians greatly outnumbered Athenian outnumbered Athenian forces. Yet the invaders forces. Yet the invaders were amazed to see “a were amazed to see “a mere handful of men mere handful of men coming on at a run without coming on at a run without either horsemen or either horsemen or archers.” The Persians archers.” The Persians responded with a rain of responded with a rain of arrows, but the Greeks arrows, but the Greeks rushed onward. They broke rushed onward. They broke through the Persian line through the Persian line and engaged in fierce and engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat. hand-to-hand combat. Overwhelmed by the fury of Overwhelmed by the fury of the assault, the Persians the assault, the Persians hastily retreated to their hastily retreated to their ships ships

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The Athenians The Athenians celebrated their celebrated their triumph. Still, the triumph. Still, the Athenian leader, Athenian leader, Themistocles (thuh Themistocles (thuh mismis tuh kleez), tuh kleez), knew the victory at knew the victory at Marathon had Marathon had bought only a bought only a temporary lull in the temporary lull in the fighting. He urged fighting. He urged Athenians to build a Athenians to build a fleet of warships fleet of warships and prepare other and prepare other defenses.defenses.

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Greek City-States Unite Greek City-States Unite

Darius died before he Darius died before he could mass his troops for could mass his troops for another attack. But in 480 another attack. But in 480 B.C., his son Xerxes B.C., his son Xerxes ((zurkzurk seez) sent a much seez) sent a much larger force to conquer larger force to conquer Greece. By this time, Greece. By this time, Athens had persuaded Athens had persuaded Sparta and other city-Sparta and other city-states to join in the fight states to join in the fight against Persia. against Persia.

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Once again, the Persians landed in northern Once again, the Persians landed in northern Greece. A small Spartan force guarded the narrow Greece. A small Spartan force guarded the narrow mountain pass at Thermopylae (thur mountain pass at Thermopylae (thur mahpmahp uh uh lee). Led by the great warrior-king Leonidas (lee lee). Led by the great warrior-king Leonidas (lee ahnahn ih dus), the Spartans held out heroically ih dus), the Spartans held out heroically against the enormous Persian force, but were against the enormous Persian force, but were defeated in the end defeated in the end

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The Persians The Persians marched south and marched south and burned Athens. The burned Athens. The city was empty, city was empty, however. The however. The Athenians had Athenians had already withdrawn to already withdrawn to safety. safety.

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The Greeks now put their faith in the fleet of ships that Themistocles had urged them The Greeks now put their faith in the fleet of ships that Themistocles had urged them to build. The Athenians lured the Persian navy into the narrow strait of Salamis (to build. The Athenians lured the Persian navy into the narrow strait of Salamis (sahlsahl uh mis). Then, Athenian warships, powered by rowers, drove into the Persian boats uh mis). Then, Athenian warships, powered by rowers, drove into the Persian boats with underwater battering rams. On the shore, Xerxes watched helplessly as his with underwater battering rams. On the shore, Xerxes watched helplessly as his mighty fleet sank mighty fleet sank

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The following year, The following year, the Greeks defeated the Greeks defeated the Persians on land the Persians on land in Asia Minor. This in Asia Minor. This victory marked the victory marked the end of the Persian end of the Persian invasions. In a brief invasions. In a brief moment of unity, the moment of unity, the Greek city-states had Greek city-states had saved themselves saved themselves from the Persian from the Persian threat.threat.

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Athens emerged from the war as the most powerful city-state in Greece. To Athens emerged from the war as the most powerful city-state in Greece. To continue to defend against Persia, it organized with other Greek city-states continue to defend against Persia, it organized with other Greek city-states an an alliancealliance, or a formal agreement between two or more nations or powers , or a formal agreement between two or more nations or powers to cooperate and come to one another’s defense. Modern scholars call this to cooperate and come to one another’s defense. Modern scholars call this alliance the Delian League after Delos, the location where the league held alliance the Delian League after Delos, the location where the league held meetings.meetings.

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From the start, Athens dominated the Delian League. It slowly used its position From the start, Athens dominated the Delian League. It slowly used its position of leadership to create an Athenian empire. It moved the league treasury from of leadership to create an Athenian empire. It moved the league treasury from the island of Delos to Athens, using money contributed by other city-states to the island of Delos to Athens, using money contributed by other city-states to rebuild its own city. rebuild its own city.

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What factors led to What factors led to the Persian defeat?the Persian defeat?

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The Age of Pericles and Direct The Age of Pericles and Direct Democracy Democracy

The years after the The years after the Persian Wars from 460 Persian Wars from 460 B.C. to 429 B.C. were a B.C. to 429 B.C. were a golden age for Athens golden age for Athens under the able statesman under the able statesman PericlesPericles ( (pehrpehr uh kleez). uh kleez). Because of his wise and Because of his wise and skillful leadership, the skillful leadership, the economy thrived and the economy thrived and the government became government became more democratic.more democratic.

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Athenian Democracy Athenian Democracy

Periclean Athens was a Periclean Athens was a direct democracydirect democracy. Under this system, citizens take . Under this system, citizens take part directly in the day-to-day affairs of government. By contrast, in most part directly in the day-to-day affairs of government. By contrast, in most democratic countries today, citizens participate in government indirectly democratic countries today, citizens participate in government indirectly through elected representatives through elected representatives

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Culture Thrives in Athens Culture Thrives in Athens Athens prospered during the Age of Pericles. With the empire’s Athens prospered during the Age of Pericles. With the empire’s

riches, Pericles directed the rebuilding of the Acropolis, which riches, Pericles directed the rebuilding of the Acropolis, which the Persians had destroyed. With the help of an educated the Persians had destroyed. With the help of an educated foreign-born woman named Aspasia (as foreign-born woman named Aspasia (as paypay shuh), Pericles shuh), Pericles turned Athens into the cultural center of Greece turned Athens into the cultural center of Greece

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Describe Pericles’s Describe Pericles’s influence on Athens.influence on Athens.

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The Peloponnesian War The Peloponnesian War

Many Greeks outside Many Greeks outside Athens resented Athenian Athens resented Athenian domination. Before long, domination. Before long, the Greek world was split the Greek world was split into rival camps. To into rival camps. To counter the Delian counter the Delian League, Sparta and other League, Sparta and other enemies of Athens enemies of Athens formed the formed the Peloponnesian League Peloponnesian League

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In 431 B.C., warfare broke out between Athens and Sparta. In 431 B.C., warfare broke out between Athens and Sparta. This conflict, which became known as the Peloponnesian War, This conflict, which became known as the Peloponnesian War, soon engulfed all of Greece. The fighting would last for 27 soon engulfed all of Greece. The fighting would last for 27 years. years.

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Sparta Defeats Athens Sparta Defeats Athens Despite its riches and powerful navy, Athens faced a serious geographic Despite its riches and powerful navy, Athens faced a serious geographic

disadvantage. Because Sparta was inland, Athens could not use its navy to disadvantage. Because Sparta was inland, Athens could not use its navy to attack. Sparta’s powerful army, however, had only to march north to attack attack. Sparta’s powerful army, however, had only to march north to attack Athens Athens

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When the Spartan troops came near, Pericles allowed people from the When the Spartan troops came near, Pericles allowed people from the countryside to move inside the city walls. The overcrowded conditions led to countryside to move inside the city walls. The overcrowded conditions led to a terrible plague that killed many Athenians, including Pericles himself. a terrible plague that killed many Athenians, including Pericles himself.

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As the war dragged on, As the war dragged on, each side committed each side committed savage acts against the savage acts against the other. Sparta even allied other. Sparta even allied itself with Persia, the itself with Persia, the longtime enemy of the longtime enemy of the Greeks. Finally, in 404 Greeks. Finally, in 404 B.C., with the help of the B.C., with the help of the Persian navy, the Persian navy, the Spartans captured Spartans captured Athens. The victors Athens. The victors stripped the Athenians of stripped the Athenians of their fleet and empire. their fleet and empire. However, Sparta rejected However, Sparta rejected calls from its allies to calls from its allies to destroy Athens destroy Athens

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Meanwhile, as Greeks battled among themselves, a new power rose in Meanwhile, as Greeks battled among themselves, a new power rose in Macedonia (mas uh Macedonia (mas uh dohdoh nee uh), a kingdom to the north of Greece. By 359 nee uh), a kingdom to the north of Greece. By 359 B.C., its ambitious ruler stood poised to conquer the quarrelsome Greek city-B.C., its ambitious ruler stood poised to conquer the quarrelsome Greek city-states. states.

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How did conflict How did conflict lead to the decline lead to the decline of Athens?of Athens?