Download In the 5th century BC the vast Persian Empire attempted to c

In the 5th century BC the vast Persian Empire attempted to conquer Greece. If the Persians had succe
eded, they would have set up local tyrants, called satraps, to rule Greece and would have crushed th
e first stirrings of democracy in Europe. The survival of Greek culture and political ideals depende
d on the ability of the small, disunited Greek city-states to band together and defend themselves ag
ainst Persia's overwhelming strength. The struggle, known in Western history as the Persian Wars, or
Greco-Persian Wars, lasted 20 years--from 499 to 479 BC. Persia already numbered among its conquest
s the Greek cities of Ionia in Asia Minor, where Greek civilization first flourished. The Persian Wa
rs began when some of these cities revolted against Darius I, Persia's king, in 499 BC. Athens sent
20 ships to aid the Ionians. Before the Persians crushed the revolt, the Greeks burned Sardis, capit
al of Lydia. Angered, Darius determined to conquer Athens and extend his empire westward beyond the
Aegean Sea. In 492 BC Darius gathered together a great military force and sent 600 ships across the
Hellespont. A sudden storm wrecked half his fleet when it was rounding rocky Mount Athos on the Mace
donian coast. Two years later Darius dispatched a new battle fleet of 600 triremes. This time his po
werful galleys crossed the Aegean Sea without mishap and arrived safely off Attica, the part of Gree
ce that surrounds the city of Athens. The Persians landed on the plain of Marathon, about 25 miles (
40 kilometers) from Athens. When the Athenians learned of their arrival, they sent a swift runner, P
heidippides, to ask Sparta for aid, but the Spartans, who were conducting a religious festival, coul
d not march until the moon was full. Meanwhile the small Athenian army encamped in the foothills on
the edge of the Marathon Plain. The Athenian general Miltiades ordered his small force to advance. H
e had arranged his men so as to have the greatest strength in the wings. As he expected, his center
was driven back. The two wings then united behind the enemy. Thus hemmed in, the Persians' bows and
arrows were of little use. The stout Greek spears spread death and terror. The invaders rushed in pa
nic to their ships. The Greek historian Herodotus says the Persians lost 6,400 men against only 192
on the Greek side. Thus ended the battle of Marathon (490 BC), one of the decisive battles of the wo
rld. Darius planned another expedition, but he died before preparations were completed. This gave th
e Greeks a ten-year period to prepare for the next battles. Athens built up its naval supremacy in t
he Aegean under the guidance of Themistocles. In 480 BC the Persians returned, led by King Xerxes, t
he son of Darius. To avoid another shipwreck off Mount Athos, Xerxes had a canal dug behind the prom
ontory. Across the Hellespont he had the Phoenicians and Egyptians place two bridges of ships, held
together by cables of flax and papyrus. A storm destroyed the bridges, but Xerxes ordered the worker
s to replace them. For seven days and nights his soldiers marched across the bridges. On the way to
Athens, Xerxes found a small force of Greek soldiers holding the narrow pass of Thermopylae, which g
uarded the way to central Greece. The force was led by Leonidas, king of Sparta. Xerxes sent a messa
ge ordering the Greeks to deliver their arms. "Come and take them," replied Leonidas. For two days t
he Greeks' long spears held the pass. Then a Greek traitor told Xerxes of a roundabout path over the
mountains. When Leonidas saw the enemy approaching from the rear, he dismissed his men except the 3
00 Spartans, who were bound, like himself, to conquer or die. Leonidas was one of the first to fall.
Around their leader's body the gallant Spartans fought first with their swords, then with their han
ds, until they were slain to the last man. The Persians moved on to Attica and found it deserted. Th
ey set fire to Athens with flaming arrows. Xerxes' fleet held the Athenian ships bottled up between
the coast of Attica and the island of Salamis. His ships outnumbered the Greek ships three to one. T
he Persians had expected an easy victory, but one after another their ships were sunk or crippled. C
rowded into the narrow strait, the heavy Persian vessels moved with difficulty. The lighter Greek sh
ips rowed out from a circular formation and rammed their prows into the clumsy enemy vessels. Two hu
ndred Persian ships were sunk, others were captured, and the rest fled. Xerxes and his forces hasten
ed back to Persia. Soon after, the rest of the Persian army was scattered at Plataea (479 BC). In th
e same year Xerxes' fleet was defeated at Mycale. Although a treaty was not signed until 30 years la
ter, the threat of Persian domination was ended.
century vast persian empire attempted conquer gree
ce persians succeeded they would have local tyrants called satraps rule greece would have crushed fi
rst stirrings democracy europe survival greek culture political ideals depended ability small disuni
ted greek city states band together defend themselves against persia overwhelming strength struggle
known western history persian wars greco persian wars lasted years from persia already numbered amon
g conquests greek cities ionia asia minor where civilization first flourished wars began when some t
hese cities revolted against darius persia king athens sent ships ionians before persians crushed re
volt greeks burned sardis capital lydia angered darius determined conquer athens extend empire westw
ard beyond aegean darius gathered together great military force sent ships across hellespont sudden
storm wrecked half fleet when rounding rocky mount athos macedonian coast years later dispatched bat
tle fleet triremes this time powerful galleys crossed aegean without mishap arrived safely attica pa
rt greece that surrounds city athens persians landed plain marathon about miles kilometers from when
athenians learned their arrival they sent swift runner pheidippides sparta spartans were conducting
religious festival could march until moon full meanwhile small athenian army encamped foothills edg
e marathon plain athenian general miltiades ordered small force advance arranged have greatest stren
gth wings expected center driven back wings then united behind enemy thus hemmed bows arrows were li
ttle stout spears spread death terror invaders rushed panic their ships historian herodotus says los
t against only side thus ended battle marathon decisive battles world planned another expedition die
d before preparations were completed this gave greeks year period prepare next battles built naval s
upremacy aegean under guidance themistocles returned king xerxes avoid another shipwreck mount athos
xerxes canal behind promontory across hellespont phoenicians egyptians place bridges held together
cables flax papyrus storm destroyed bridges xerxes ordered workers replace them seven days nights so
ldiers marched across bridges found force soldiers holding narrow pass thermopylae which guarded cen
tral leonidas king sparta message ordering greeks deliver their arms come take them replied leonidas
days long spears held pass then traitor told roundabout path over mountains leonidas enemy approach
ing from rear dismissed except spartans bound like himself conquer first fall around leader body gal
lant spartans fought with swords then with hands until they slain last moved attica found deserted f
ire with flaming arrows fleet held athenian bottled between coast attica island salamis outnumbered
three expected easy victory after another sunk crippled crowded into narrow strait heavy vessels mov
ed difficulty lighter rowed circular formation rammed prows into clumsy enemy vessels hundred sunk o
thers captured rest fled forces hastened back soon after rest army scattered plataea same year defea
ted mycale although treaty signed until years later threat domination endedEssay, essays, termpaper,
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