Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

Fiercely IndependentFiercely Independent

Major Wars Fought by Major Wars Fought by GreeksGreeks

The Trojan WarThe Trojan War The Persian WarsThe Persian Wars

MarathonMarathon ThermopylaeThermopylae SalamisSalamis

The Peloponnesian WarThe Peloponnesian War

Organization ChartOrganization ChartBattleBattle LeadersLeaders NumbersNumbers WinnerWinner

MarathonMarathon Persian:Persian:

Greek:Greek:Army:Army:

Ships:Ships:

ThermopylThermopylaeae

Persian:Persian:

Greek:Greek:Army:Army:

Ships:Ships:

SalamisSalamis Persian:Persian:

Greek:Greek:Army:Army:

Ships:Ships:

PeloponnesPeloponnesee

The Persian WarsThe Persian Wars

Persia was a powerful eastern empire Persia was a powerful eastern empire (Afghanistan to shores of the (Afghanistan to shores of the Mediterranean)Mediterranean)

Ruled by Cyrus the GreatRuled by Cyrus the Great In contrast, Greece was actually a In contrast, Greece was actually a

bunch of small, scattered city-statesbunch of small, scattered city-states Greeks LOVED their independenceGreeks LOVED their independence

Leading up to the Battle of Leading up to the Battle of MarathonMarathon

499 BCE, Miletus led other Ionian 499 BCE, Miletus led other Ionian city-states in a revolt again Persia.city-states in a revolt again Persia.

Persians won, destroying MiletusPersians won, destroying Miletus

The BattleThe Battle of Marathon of Marathon

Darius I of Persia Darius I of Persia was determined to was determined to punish the punish the Athenians for Athenians for supporting the supporting the Ionian revolt.Ionian revolt.

Heralds were sent by Heralds were sent by Darius to Sparta and Darius to Sparta and Athens to get to Athens to get to submit to Persian submit to Persian power.power.

Heralds would ask for Heralds would ask for “sand and water”“sand and water”

Sparta threw the Sparta threw the Herald down a well, Herald down a well, where there was where there was plenty of both.plenty of both.

Athens threw the Athens threw the Herald over the cliffs Herald over the cliffs and killed the and killed the translator. translator.

War was inevitable. War was inevitable.

The Athenians had sent to Sparta for The Athenians had sent to Sparta for help but Sparta was unwilling to leave help but Sparta was unwilling to leave until the moon was full.until the moon was full.

The Spartans eventually arrived after The Spartans eventually arrived after the battle was over. the battle was over.

But the Athenians had a most welcome But the Athenians had a most welcome surprise when they arrived at Marathon surprise when they arrived at Marathon for they were joined by a force of 1000 for they were joined by a force of 1000 Plataians (their entire army) to fight Plataians (their entire army) to fight against the common enemy. against the common enemy.

Together they would face the Medes and Together they would face the Medes and their conquerors, the Persians. No one their conquerors, the Persians. No one had been able to stand up against them had been able to stand up against them in the past.in the past.

NumbersNumbers

Persians brought 600 ships and over Persians brought 600 ships and over 20,000 soldiers.20,000 soldiers.

Athenians and Plataians numbered Athenians and Plataians numbered less than 10,000. less than 10,000.

The name, “Marathon”The name, “Marathon” The Athenian general The Athenian general

dispatched a dispatched a professional runner to professional runner to seek help from Sparta.seek help from Sparta.

Pheidippides ran over Pheidippides ran over 42 km in two days, and 42 km in two days, and then ran back to then ran back to Marathon with the Marathon with the Spartans’ response.Spartans’ response.

Pheidippides collapsed Pheidippides collapsed and died after giving and died after giving this message.this message.

Miltiades, the Miltiades, the Athenian generalAthenian general

The Athenians (and Plataians) were The Athenians (and Plataians) were outnumbered 3 to 1.outnumbered 3 to 1.

Miltiades knew the Persians put their Miltiades knew the Persians put their strongest soldiers in the middle rows.strongest soldiers in the middle rows.

Miltiades had his army stretch out to Miltiades had his army stretch out to match the Persian length. He then put match the Persian length. He then put his best soldiers on the front ends.his best soldiers on the front ends.

Persians broke through the middle, but Persians broke through the middle, but Athenians won on the ends and Athenians won on the ends and surrounded the Persians.surrounded the Persians.

The trapped soldiers in the middle ran The trapped soldiers in the middle ran back to their ships.back to their ships.

192 Athenians died. 6,400 Persians 192 Athenians died. 6,400 Persians died.died.

Persian ArmyPersian Army

Greek ArmyGreek Army

Their position in war is called a Their position in war is called a “phalanx” (close, tight line)“phalanx” (close, tight line)

Battle at ThermopylaeBattle at Thermopylae The Persians planned on a comeback.The Persians planned on a comeback. Despite Marathon, Persia still owned Despite Marathon, Persia still owned

Asia Minor, Lydia, Judah, Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Lydia, Judah, Mesopotamia, and Egypt. and Egypt.

Darius I was killed in a battle, so his Darius I was killed in a battle, so his son, Xerxes took control of the Persian son, Xerxes took control of the Persian empire.empire.

By 480 BC, Xerxes had built up an By 480 BC, Xerxes had built up an enormous army of 180,000 men and a enormous army of 180,000 men and a navy of 1200 ships.  navy of 1200 ships. 

Xerxes, King of Xerxes, King of PersiaPersia

But Greece had not been slack after But Greece had not been slack after Marathon.Marathon.

The Athenians, under Themistocles, The Athenians, under Themistocles, developed a strong navy of 200 ships developed a strong navy of 200 ships and 7000 troops.and 7000 troops.

By 481 BCE, all the Greek states that By 481 BCE, all the Greek states that were prepared to fight the Persians were prepared to fight the Persians held a congress.held a congress.

Sparta and Athens agreed to take the Sparta and Athens agreed to take the leadership.leadership.

■ ■ The Greek army was led by King The Greek army was led by King Leonidas of Sparta who brought Leonidas of Sparta who brought with him 300 Spartans. with him 300 Spartans. ■■ The small turnout of Sparta The small turnout of Sparta resulted from a disagreement as to resulted from a disagreement as to where best to meet the Persians. where best to meet the Persians. ■■ Sparta wanted to fight at the Sparta wanted to fight at the Isthmus of CorinthIsthmus of Corinth ■■ others wanted to fight further others wanted to fight further northnorth ■■ Athens still insisted that the war Athens still insisted that the war would be won or lost at sea.would be won or lost at sea.

The Greeks realized that Xerxes had The Greeks realized that Xerxes had to be delayed as long as possible so to be delayed as long as possible so that the Athenians could desperately that the Athenians could desperately build up their navy. build up their navy.

They decided to send an They decided to send an expeditionary force north to meet expeditionary force north to meet Xerxes, to fight the Persians at Xerxes, to fight the Persians at hopeless odds, and to sacrifice hopeless odds, and to sacrifice themselves in order to improve the themselves in order to improve the chances of ultimate victory. chances of ultimate victory.

They decided to take this stand at They decided to take this stand at Thermopylae.Thermopylae.

The fight was in a The fight was in a narrow pass.narrow pass.

After 3 days of After 3 days of fighting, the Greek fighting, the Greek had to back away.had to back away.

A Greek traitor led A Greek traitor led the Persian forces the Persian forces along a mountain along a mountain path to the far end path to the far end of the pass at of the pass at Thermopylae.Thermopylae.

King Leonidas knew King Leonidas knew they were trapped.they were trapped.

He told the other He told the other Greeks to leave.Greeks to leave.

He and the 300 He and the 300 Spartans stayed, Spartans stayed, fought bravely, and fought bravely, and all were killed.all were killed.

The Battle at SalamisThe Battle at Salamis Athens was left vulnerable after Athens was left vulnerable after

Thermopylae and the city was evacuated.Thermopylae and the city was evacuated. Most of the people escaped to Salamis.Most of the people escaped to Salamis. The Persians went after them.The Persians went after them. Themistocles sent a messenger to Xerxes Themistocles sent a messenger to Xerxes

with lies:with lies: The Greek Fleet was sailing awayThe Greek Fleet was sailing away An attack the next day by the Persians would An attack the next day by the Persians would

result in Athenians joining them because they result in Athenians joining them because they were disgusted by the other week Greek were disgusted by the other week Greek states.states.

Xerxes believed the messenger and Xerxes believed the messenger and sent his ships into the strait.sent his ships into the strait.

The Greeks attacked the Persian The Greeks attacked the Persian boats.boats.

The Persians lost 200 shipsThe Persians lost 200 ships The Greeks lost only 40 ships.The Greeks lost only 40 ships.

Xerxes had been so confident he would win, Xerxes had been so confident he would win, that he sat watching the battle on a throne that he sat watching the battle on a throne placed on a hill overlooking the strait.placed on a hill overlooking the strait.

Xerxes went home Xerxes went home without his army.without his army.

The remaining The remaining Persian army fought Persian army fought the Greeks near the the Greeks near the town of Plataea.town of Plataea.

A Spartan unit held A Spartan unit held off their attack.off their attack.

In a war in Ionia, the In a war in Ionia, the Greeks destroyed the Greeks destroyed the rest of the army.rest of the army.

The Peloponnesian WarThe Peloponnesian War In 478 BCE, Athens and other states In 478 BCE, Athens and other states

(150 altogether) formed a league to (150 altogether) formed a league to protect themselves from anymore protect themselves from anymore attacks by the Persians.attacks by the Persians.

Being in the league meant you gave Being in the league meant you gave money or resources. Most states money or resources. Most states gave money, and Athens created a gave money, and Athens created a huge amount of ships.huge amount of ships.

From 480 BCE to 380 BCE, Athens From 480 BCE to 380 BCE, Athens developed in the arts and sciences, developed in the arts and sciences, in literature and trade.in literature and trade.

Sparta rivaled Athens.Sparta rivaled Athens. It was the only unwalled city in It was the only unwalled city in

Greece.Greece. By the middle of 500 BCE, Sparta By the middle of 500 BCE, Sparta

controlled most of the Peloponnese.controlled most of the Peloponnese.

Athens versus SpartaAthens versus Sparta

Athens tried to expand its control by Athens tried to expand its control by entering central Greece, Sparta’s entering central Greece, Sparta’s domain.domain.

Athens prevented some states from Athens prevented some states from trading and they went to Sparta for trading and they went to Sparta for help.help.

Sparta declared war in 431 BCE.Sparta declared war in 431 BCE.

CompetitionCompetition

AthensAthens Strong navyStrong navy A lot of A lot of

moneymoney

SpartaSparta Professional Professional

soldierssoldiers

The PlagueThe Plague

To protect its people, the Athenian To protect its people, the Athenian leader, Pericles, had all his citizens leader, Pericles, had all his citizens live within the city walls.live within the city walls.

With the enormous population, poor With the enormous population, poor ventilation, and a lack of hygiene, a ventilation, and a lack of hygiene, a plague broke out.plague broke out.

1/3 of the population died, including 1/3 of the population died, including the general.the general.

Athenian AttackAthenian Attack

Athens attacked the neutral state of Athens attacked the neutral state of Melos.Melos.

All men of military age were killed.All men of military age were killed. Women and children were sold into Women and children were sold into

slavery.slavery. Then Athens invaded Syracuse (Sicily)Then Athens invaded Syracuse (Sicily) Syracuse won.Syracuse won.

Sparta’s StrengthSparta’s Strength

Sparta formed an alliance with Sicily.Sparta formed an alliance with Sicily. Sparta formed an alliance with Persia.Sparta formed an alliance with Persia. Sparta defeated Athens by 405 BCE.Sparta defeated Athens by 405 BCE. Athens had to give up all the ships but Athens had to give up all the ships but

12.12. Athens’ walls were torn down.Athens’ walls were torn down. Athens was not destroyed because of Athens was not destroyed because of

the service it had provided during the the service it had provided during the Persian wars.Persian wars.