Ancient Greece
The Peloponnesian and
Persian Wars
Where is Persia?
Persia -strong empire in SW Asia.
Present day Turkey and northern Tigris-
Euphrates River Valley.
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson_images/EvalGraphics/PersianEmpire03.jpg
Tensions with the Persians
545 BC – King Cyrus of Persia takes over Greek
colonies in Asia Minor and on the Aegean.
500 BC – Greeks in Miletus fed up and rebel.
The Greeks ask Athens for help.
Athens sends ships and soldiers to help fight the
Persians.
The Persians Mean Business
Now
Persian leader, Darius,
crushes rebellion and
punishes Athenians for
helping.
490 BC invades Greece
by landing at Marathon.
1st major battle;
Athenians are greatly
outnumbered.
http://www.maitlandtoysoldiershoppe.com/products/i
mages/grenadastudios/g174-3.jpg
Athens Wins!!
Although outnumbered, the Athenians
kill 6,400 Persians while only losing 192
Athenians.
One of their heroes was Phidippides, he
ran approximately 150 miles in two days
to get help from the Spartans. True
Story!
http://www.e-grammes.gr/maps/persian_wars.jpg
The Legend of Pheidippides
After Battle of Marathon, Pheidippides
took the news 26 miles back to Athens.
26 miles = Marathon
While running he screamed, “NIKE!”
NIKE = Victory in Greek
The Persians Aren’t Finished
After Battle at Marathon, Persians withdrew
from Greece; peace for 10 yrs.
Darius’s son, Xerxes, wants to take over
Greece and avenge his father.
480 BC – 180,000 Persian soldiers backed
by the navy invade Greece again.
The Persians conquer northern Greece, but
city-states unite to stop the Persians.
How did the Greeks win?
After some terrible
setbacks
(Thermopylae, Athens
is destroyed), the
Greeks will lure the
Persian navy into a
narrow bay called
Salamis.
Greek ships rallied
and crushed almost all
of the Persian fleet.
**Why the Persian Wars are
Important?**
Persian wars united Athens and Sparta
against the Persian Empire.
Athenian victories over the Persians at
Marathon and Salamis left Greeks in
control of the Aegean Sea.
Athens preserved its independence and
continued innovations in government
and culture.
Mr. Hannah, how do you know so
much?
We know so much about this war
because of the writings of Herodotus,
the father of history!
http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodotus/herodotus.jpg