Download File - Ms lukas` classes

Persian War
Greco-Persian Wars
Herodotus
 “Father of History”
 Systematically gathered and organized
historical data, analyzing and creating
timelines
 Earliest Greek prose to survive
 Clear and strong historical information;
though sometimes incorrect and fanciful
Battle Stats…
 Persia
 Diverse
 Usually armed with a bow, short spear, sword
or axe, wicker shield
 Bows were to wear out the enemy and used
spears and swords for close combat
 Sparabara: infantry formations, used to help
protect back ranks
 Members of the Persian Empire
Battle Stats…
 Greece
 Hoplite phalanx: Hoplites made up a rectangular
mass military formation
 Hoplite: foot soldiers

Middle class members – could afford heavy
armor
 Heavy amour
 Breastplate, helmet, concave shield, spears (longer
than the Persians
 Considered superior to hand-to-hand combat
 Collective group from Greek City-States:
Athens, Sparta, Hellenic Alliance
First Persian Invasion
 492 BC
 King Darius’ revenge on Athens
 Darius sends ambassadors all over Greece, and slowly gains
control over the regions, expect Sparta and Athens
 Eventually island-hopped to reach the in-land
 Athens will win over Persia at the Battle of Marathon
 Darius will attempt to take over Greece, but divides in Persia
delayed the process and he will die of old age
Battle of Marathon
 Persian attempt to invade Greece
 Bay of Marathon
 Athenians blocked both exits from the bay
 Phillipides – ran to Sparta to request aid (marathon)
 Sparta could not send help for ten days – “full moon”
 Stalemate against Persians
 Hoplites overrun the Persian forces
 Persians will attempt to sail straight to Athens, but are overrun there
 Persian KIA:6,400
 Athenian KIA: 192
Second Persian Invasion
 480-479 BC
 Xerxes
 Fourth king of Achaemenid Dynasty (Persia)
 Followed Darius by invading Greece
 Xerxes Canal
 Through peninsula of Mount Athos
 Pontoon Bridges – build across Hellespont
 480 BC: Set out against Athens with
Estimated 1 million soldiers, 10,000 elite warriors
(Persian Immortals)
Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Thermopylae
 Xerxes attempt at Athens with a huge army and navy
 Greeks were outnumbered, but held off Persians for 7 days
 A small Greek force blocked Persian army’s path
 Local resident Ephialtes told of a way through Greek lines
 Outflanked the Greek army
 300 Spartans, 700 Thespians, 400 Thebans – most are killed