Download Athens and Sparta: Two very different cities

THE PERSIAN WARS
Background
 500’s B.C., Persia
expands its borders
 Desire for more land.
 Conquers Anatolia
(Turkey) and lands
around the Aegean
Sea.
 Many Greeks lived in
conquered colonies.
 King Darius leads
Persian expedition.
Ionian Revolt (499-492 B.C.)
 Greeks living in
Anatolia revolted
against Persian
Rule.
 Athens
 Had a strong navy
 Sent ships and
soldiers to help out.
 Revolt failed but
Persia attacked
Athens for help.
Battle of Marathon
 Persians vs. Athens
 Marathon = 26 miles
from Athens
 A messenger inform
the Spartans and
asks them for help.
 Did not get there in
time
 Hand to hand
combat
 6400 Persians dead,
192 Athenians dead.
 Athenian Victory
 A messenger was
sent to Athens to
inform the city of the
victory.
 Collapsed and died
when he reached
the city.
 Persians sent back
to Persia.
2nd Persian Invasion
 Darius dies and
Xerxes in power.
 Determined to
punish the Greeks
for the Ionian
Revolt.
 Greeks united in
leagues of alliance to
defend their homes.
 Sparta = Led the
Army
 Athens = Led the
Navy
Battle of Thermopylae
 Spartans under
King Leonidas
defended the small
pass that led into
Athens.
 Held thousands of
Persians with 300
soldiers for two
days.
 Eventually lost but
delay gave Athens
time to prepare.
Battle of Salamis
(480 B.C.)
 Naval Battle in the
harbor that surrounded
Athens.
 Large Persian ships had
a hard time
maneuvering.
 Smaller, faster Greek
ships sunk 300 Persian
ships
 Athenian victory ended
Persian invasion.
 THIS WAS THE FIRST
TIME THAT GREEKS
UNITED TO FIGHT AN
ENEMY