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By: Mr. Tsolomitis FIGHTING THE PERSIAN WARS INTRODUCTION Athens and Sparta were not always enemies Common foe: the Persians between 499 and 479 B.C.E. Largest empire the world had ever seen Greek city-states banded together as allies (states that agree to help each other against a common enemy) Greeks had fewer men and land than the Persians However, the Greeks fought for a common purpose… THE IONIAN REVOLT King Darius Went from a small tribe in present-day Iraq to an empire that ruled over much of the known world. King Darius divided his kingdom into 20 states called satraps. One such satrap was made up of the wealthy Greek settlements of Ionia Ionians were forced to pay tributes and serve in the Persian army. RESULT OF THE IONIAN REVOLT Ionians could not defeat Persians by themselves, so they asked for Athenian help. Athens sent soldiers and a small fleet of ships. Successful for a time, but then the Athenians went home without finishing the job. Ionians were crushed in 493 B.C.E. Razing of Miletus and slavery. Score Persians Greeks 1 0 BATTLE OF MARATHON Darius was maaaaaaad Sets Gives Greeks a chance to offer presents of earth and water as a sign of acceptance of Persian rule. Not out to conquer mainland Greece a good move Darius sent an army of foot soldiers (infantry) and horse-riding soldiers (cavalry) in 490 B.C.E. across the Aegean Sea and assembled them on the Plain of Marathon. SETTING THE STAGE FOR MARATHON Athenians sent Pheidippides to Sparta for assistance… 140 miles in 2 days. Spartans were in the middle of a religious festival called the Carneia and would be unable to assist until the next full moon Troop numbers: Persians: 50,000 infantry 1,750 cavalry Greeks: Between 10,000 and 11,000 Athenian infantrymen Zero cavalry But the Greeks had Miltiades! THE BATTLE OF MARATHON Score Persians Greeks 1 1 AFTER MARATHON… Persians go home to lick their wounds Darius I dies in 486 B.C.E. His son, Xerxes I, takes control of the empire Hungry to climb out of his father’s shadow Best way to do this is to do what his father could not: conquer mainland Greece. Marches across the Hellespont (the long, narrow body of water between Europe and Asia in modern-day Turkey). WAIT, HE MARCHED ACROSS WATER?! THERMOPYLAE After the Persians crossed the Hellespont, they overwhelmed several Greek city-states. Athens and Sparta joined forces, with the Spartans taking on the Persian army while the Athenians attacked the Persian navy. Spartans chose Thermopylae as their battle ground. THE GOOD… 6,000-7,000 Greek soldiers vs. 180,000 Persians. Limited room for fighting, made the Persian numbers useless. Led by Leonidas, a Spartan king and brilliant tactician. Held out for 3 days. SPARTAN PHALANX … AND THE BAD. Until a traitor betrayed the Greeks… Used a secret path through the rocky hills to flank the 300 Spartans who weren’t ordered to retreat. All 300 were killed quickly. Score Persians Greeks 1 2 Moral victory for the Greeks SALAMIS News of the Spartans “defeat” terrified Athenians, many of who fled for their lives. Athens was burned to the ground. However, the naval battle was not as hopeless. Themistocles knew a way to defeat the Persian navy. Set a trap similar to the way the Spartans had held out for so long… SALAMIS RESULTS OF SALAMIS Greek ships rammed Persian boats in a narrow channel. 300 Persian ships were sunk, as opposed to the 40 Greek ships lost. Score Persians Greeks 1 3 PLATAEA After the defeat at Salamis (and Thermopylae), Xerxes retreats home. Attacks next spring, heads for Athens. Greeks banded together once again and met on the plains outside Plataea. 80,000 Greeks (mostly Spartans) vs 300,000 Persians. VICTORY FOR GREECE After a resounding victory at Plataea, the Persian Empire fled and didn’t bother Greece again for a long time… Benefits Kept Persia from conquering all of Europe Banded all Greeks together as “Greeks,” not members of city-states. But… Athens was in ruins Thousands of Greeks died