Download Chapter 5: Section 4 The Expansion of Greece Greek city

Chapter 5: Section 4
The Expansion of Greece
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Greek city-states and their colonies and developed for a long time without
interference from anyone, then Persia intervened
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546 B.C.- Cyrus of Persia conquered Lydia in Asia Minor acquiring Greek citystates on the western coast of the Aegean Sea
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At first, the Persians did not treat the Greeks cruelly and let them keep their own
governments
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When the Persian ruler Darius, took over Persia he tightened Persia rule and
raised taxes
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The Greeks started to rebel around 500 B.C. in the small city-states of Asia Minor
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The rebellions, which Athens aided, began a series of conflicts that lasted until
479 B.C.
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These are known as the Persian Wars
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Darius easily crushed these revolts
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He wanted to punish Athens though for its support of the Greek rebels
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492 B.C.-Darius sent Persian army and a fleet of ships toward Greece to
reestablish control over Thrace and Macedonia
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Most of the fleet was shipwrecked off the Greek coast
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This delayed the expedition
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490 B.C.-Darius launched an invasion of Greece itself
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The Persians landed on the coast of Attica and set up camp on the plains of
Marathon which was 24 miles northeast of Athens
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The Persian army greatly outnumbered the Athenian army, but the Athenian
army defeated Persia at the Battle of Marathon
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For 10 years after that an uneasy peace existed

In 480 B.C. news spread that Darius’ son, Xerxes, was coming with a vast army
and fleet gathered from every part of Persia
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Xerxes’ army numbered somewhere around 100,000 troops
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The army marched through Thrace and Macedonia toward northern Greece

To get to central Greece the army had to march through the narrow mountain
pass of Thermopylae
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King Leonidas of Sparta leading a force of 300 Spartans and several hundred
other Greeks met a vastly larger Persian army
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The Greeks held the pass for three days
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Then a Greek traitor showed the Persians another way around the mountain
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Leonidas sent many of the Greeks home because he knew they would die
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But the Spartans remained and so did a few others

The Spartans and few Greeks fought until they were all killed

The Spartans fighting encouraged inspired other city-states to stand up for
themselves
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The Battle of Thermopylae is a symbol of resistance against overwhelming odds
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Xerxes’ then proceeded onto Athens which was in turmoil

The Athenian leader, Themistocles, encouraged the Athenians to abandon the
city and take refuge somewhere else

Xerxes’ army entered and destroyed the city of Athens because no one was
there

The next important battle was fought at sea
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Themistocles tricked Xerxes into attacking the Athenian fleet in the Salamis strait

The narrow waters nullified the numerical advantage of the Persian army and
prevented ships from maneuvering

Xerxes watched Athenians defeat his fleet in hand-to-hand combat

After the battle Xerxes returned home with part of his army

479 B.C.-Athenians and Spartans combined and defeated a Persian army at
Plataea
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Survivors of the war (that war Persians) fled in disorder

The Persian Wars then ended

Persia empire still remained powerful

Persians tried to create disunity in Greece
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Athens created its own empire and entered a period of unparalleled cultural
development

After the destruction of the Persians, Athens rebuilt its city

Unity among the Greek city-states was necessary to survive

Athens made alliances with 140 other city-states
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Each state contributed either money or ships
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Athens had control over how many ships/money was given to them
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465 B.C.-Xerxes dies, threat of Persian invasion ended
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450’s B.C.-Delian League became an Athenian empire

Pericles dominated political affairs from 461-429 B.C. even when he wasn’t
holding office
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This Athenian history is called the Age of Pericles

Under Pericles Athenian democracy reached its height
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Athens was the most completely democratic government in history

All male citizens could hole office
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Athens was a society supported by slaves
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Athenian forces crushed revolts after Athens made many other city-states join
their empire
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This caused discontent
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431 B.C.-devastating war broke out between Sparta and Athens
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This called the Peloponnesian War
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Provoked by Athens’ flaunting of power, Sparta began the fighting
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Sparta invaded Attica
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430 B.C.-plague broke out in Athens, many people including Pericles died
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Sparta and Persia were able to block off Athens food supply causing them to
surrender starving in 404B.C.
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Thebes defeated Sparta in 371 B.C.