Persian War

520-479 B.C.

Leading to the War

Greeks living in region of Ionia on Anatolia were taken over by Persian Empire 520 B.C.

Ionian Greeks revolt Athens sends aid in form of ships &

soldiers Darius squashes revolt & vows

revenge

Battle of Marathon 490 B.C. Darius sends 25,000 men across

Aegean Sea Land northwest of Athens on field of

Marathon Athenian Phalanx stands waiting

Outnumbered by the Persian’s (10,000) Attack

Win the Battle of Marathon 6,400 Persian casualties vs. 192 Athenian Pheidippides warns Athens Athens wins battle

Persian Wars

Battles of Thermopylae & Salamis 480 B.C. Xerxes (Darius’ son)

tries to crush the Greeks Marches down Eastern coast Greeks were ÷ Persian’s had Greeks fighting

w/ them 7,000 Greeks, including 500

Spartans fight Xerxes @ Battle of Thermopylae Narrow mountain pass Xerxes underestimated

Greeks Fight for 3 days Traitor gives secret passage

to defeat Greeks Spartans hold off while

others flee (no survivors)

Athens decides to fight @ sea Lead by Themistocles Xerxes set fire to Athens &

tried to hem Athenians in the channel

Persian fleet could not maneuver

Greek ships rammed ships losing 1/3 of his ships

Spartans defeat Persians on final battlefield of Plataea (479 B.C.)

Consequences

Athens b/c’s leader of Greeks Alliance of 140 city-states called

Delian League Drive Persians out Athens enters its brief golden age