Sparta and the Persian Wars
The Rise of Sparta
• Ever since Messenian Wars Sparta followed an aggressive policy of
expansion, partly through war and partly through diplomacy.
• By the beginning of the 5th century Sparta owned the whole of
southern Peloponnese, and dominated the rest as the leading power.
• The armies of Sparta already had a reputation of invincibility
• Successful reforms in the 7th century had spared Sparta of the worst
social/economic/political problems that other Greek cities faced in the
7th and 6th c.
• While the rest of the Greek world was facing tyranny, poverty and
upheaval, Sparta was enjoying prosperity, stability, and
political/military success.
The Rise of Achaemenid Persia
Cyrus II and the Foundation
• Between 550 and 530 BC Cyrus
II, establishes a vast empire
• First he incorporates Media and
Persia, then the Assyrian
Empire, and then many lands on
the east of Iran
• He establishes a rule based on
local diversity, respects local
religions and customs
• His son and heir Cambyses II
conquered Egypt.
Darius I (the housekeeper)
• Darius was a pretender, who
prevailed after a bloody
succession war.
• He expanded the empire to the
East, and tried to incorporate
Europe, including Greece
• His European campaigns were
mostly a failure
• He organized the Empire, cut
new coins (darics), and
introduced new laws.
• His generals were defeated by
the Athenians at Marathon.
The Battle of Marathon (490 BC)
• The first Persian invasion
primarily targeted Athens.
• Spartan help was asked and
promised but delayed, due to
religious observance.
• The Athenians alone defeated
the invading force with the
brilliant tactics of general
Miltiades.
• When the Spartans arrived, they
inspected the monument,
praised the Athenians and left.
Xerxes
• 486: Darius dies: Xerxes
becomes king
• 484: Egypt revolts
• After the suppression of
the revolt Xerxes prepares
for a campaign against
Greece.
• 480: Xerxes personally
leads an invasion of
Greece
The Fictional Xerxes
The real Xerxes
• A sophisticated, fun-
loving womanizer, better
suited for the luxuries of
the court than the
battlefield.
• Xerxes inherited the
Greek campaign from his
father.
• During his reign, a new
imperial capital was built,
inteded to glorify Persian
might
Persepolis: The Great Palace of Xerxes
The Invasion of Xerxes
The Battlefield of Thermopylae
The Battle of Thermopylae
• 480: Although strategically it was a hopeless
undertaking, the stand of king Leonidas and his
personal guard at Thermopylae, encourages the
fighting Greeks.
• The Athenians, with an equal spirit of bravery,
retreat and allow the city to be burnt to the ground.
• This is the limit of Xerxes’ successes in Greece
Battle of Salamis (480)
• In the narrow waters of
Salamis the Athenian-led
Greek fleet destroys the
Persian navy.
• Xerxes, for fear of being
cut off, leaves for Asia
• His general Mardonius is
left behind with much of
the land army
The battle of Plataia (479 BC)
• In the battlefield of Plataia the
Spartan army, led by Pausanias,
regent for the son of Leonidas,
wiped out the Persian land
forces.
• Spartan victory was so swift
and decisive that the more
populous Athenian army did not
even get the chance to get to the
battlefield on time.
• This ended Persian threat
against Greece. In future, the
Greeks would be the aggressors
against Persia.