Download The Persian WArs

The Persian Wars
500 B.C.E.---------------------------------448 B.C.E.
• The “Persian Wars” were a
series of wars between the
Greek world and the Persian
Empire that lasted roughly
from 500 B.C.E. until 448
B.C.E.
• The Persian Wars began when Persia
began to require both money and
military service from Greek colonies
in Persian Asia Minor.
• They revolted in 499 B.C.E. with the
help primarily of Athens.
• Unfortunately for the colonies, Athens went home
shortly thereafter leaving them to suffer the wrath of
the Persians.
• Persia’s King Darius was not satisfied simply
punishing the Greek colonies.
• In 490 B.C.E., Darius sent a huge army in 600 ships
to attack Athens.
They landed at Marathon.
• The Athenian forces sought help from Sparta to
repel the invading Persians. Pheidippides was sent
from Marathon to Sparta seeking help.
Sparta was in the middle of a religious festival and
could not send troops to help for another day.
Pheidippides ran back to the Greeks at Marathon
with the bad news and then fought with the Greeks
against the Persians.
• Amazingly, the Athenians defeated mighty Persia at
Marathon. The Persians lost 6,400 men and the
Athenians only lost 192 soldiers.
• The defeat of the Persians at Marathon began a
period of Athenian superiority in Greece. Why did
this surprising victory lead to the Golden Age?
• Ten years later, the Persians decided to attack again.
Darius I had died and his son, Xerxes, was now
king. He had vowed to avenge the loss at Marathon.
• To attack Greece, Xerxes created a bridge across a
thin strip of water called the Hellespont.
• He tied 300 boats together to cross the one mile
wide Hellespont.
• The Persians marched to a small pass called
Thermopylae. The pass was so small, they had to
march through single file.
• At Thermopylae, the Persians
met the Spartans who had
teamed up with Athens. After a
fierce battle, Persia won.
• Now, the Persians set out for Athens.
Knowing the Persians were coming, Athens
was evacuated.
• Outnumbered by the Persians, the Greeks had to
trick the Persians. Led by a Spartan general, they
tricked the Persians to fight them in a naval battle in
a narrow place called Salamis.
• Xerxes took the bait and attacked. Because Salamis
was narrow, it prevented the Persians from using
their full naval strength.
• As Xerxes watched in shock, half of the Persian
navy was destroyed by the quicker Greek fleet.
• In shock, Xerxes retreated to Persia and, for the
most part, the Persian War was over. Athens and the
Greeks had beaten the largest power on Earth.
• Athens’ victory in the Persian Wars began the
Golden Age for Athens.
• Why was the victory over the Persians so important
for Athens?