The Persian Wars Athens and Sparta Unite 499 – 479 B.C.E.

The Persian WarsAthens and Sparta Unite

499 – 479 B.C.E.

Background• The Persian Empire largest and most

powerful empire• The Persians ruled Africa, the Middle East,

and Asia• 499 B.C.E., Persians attack mainland

Greece • Compared to Persia, in terms of land and

soldiers, Greece was very small

The Ionian Revolt: The Persian Wars Begin

The Ionian Revolt

The Ionian Revolt• Persian ruler, King Darius, divided empire

into 20 provinces• Provinces made up of Persian leaders, but

kept local customs• 546 B.C.E., Persians conquered Greek

settlements in Ionia. Ionians lost farmland and harbors, forced to pay taxes, and serve in Persian army

Ionian Revolt• 499 B.C.E., Ionians asked mainland Greece for help• Athens sent soldiers and a small fleet of ships• Athens support did not last long, Athenians returned

to Greece in 493 B.C.E.• Ionians defeated, city of Miletus destroyed, many

people sold into slavery as punishment• Darius set his sights on conquering Athens for

helping Ionians• Scoreboard: Greece: 0 Persia: 1

The Battle of Marathon

The Battle of Marathon• Darius decided to invade mainland Greece• Darius sent messengers to Greece to ask for

presents of earth and water (a sign of Greek acceptance of Persian rule)

• Legend: Greeks threw messengers into pits and wells, “If you want Greek earth and water, help yourselves!”

• 490 B.C.E. Persia sent large army of foot soldiers and cavalry across Aegean Sea to plain of Marathon on mainland Greece

The Battle of Marathon

• Greeks led by Miltades, sent Athenian runner on two day run to Sparta for help

• Sparta unable to help due to religious festival• Miltades stretched men across narrow valley, with

men in side hills• When Persians attacked in valley, men from hills

came down and swarmed Persians; Persians retreated to ships

• Why was this important to Greece? Confidence• Scoreboard: Greece: 1 Persia: 1

The Battle of Thermopylae: 300

The Battle of Thermopylae: 300

• Darius died, son Xerxes built huge army (180,000) to attack Greece

• Xerxes crossed small channel to Greece by roping boats together

• 480 B.C.E. moved south, Athens and Sparta united

• Athens set out to defeat Persian navy; Sparta set out to fight the army (led my Leonidas)

The Battle of Thermopylae: 300

• Spartans made stand at Thermopylae due to narrow pass through mountains

• Spartans: 7,000 soldiers; Persians: 180,000• Spartans successful until Spartan traitor shared secret

passage through mountains, Persians able to attack from front and rear

• Most Spartans retreated, Leonidas stayed to fight with 300 soldiers; brave fight but all killed

• Athenians panicked and fled city to islands, Athens burned to the ground

• Scoreboard: Greece: 1 Persia: 2

The Battle of Salamis

The Battle of Salamis

The Battle of Salamis• Athenian naval leader, Themistocles had plan of

victory

• Trick Persians into entering narrow sea channel where they would be unable to turn ships

• Themistocles sent slave to Xerxes with message that Themistocles wanted to change sides; if Xerxes attacked at channel in Salamis, Greece would surrender

The Battle of Salamis• Xerxes sent ships to channel, Greek ships

retreated to draw Persians in

• Greek ships quickly surrounded Persian ships and used wooden rams on front of ships to sink over 300 Persian ships (the Greeks lost 40)

• Scoreboard: Greece: 2Persia: 2

The Battle of Plataea

The Battle of Plataea• Xerxes retreated to water bridge (boats tied

together); bridges destroyed by storms

• Xerxes fled channel, but left Persian forces behind on mainland Greece to attack Athens in the spring

• Athens and Sparta joined once more; with an army of 80,000 troops, the Greeks defeated the Persians one last time at Plataea

• Final score: Greece: 3 Persia: 2

Conclusion• Why were the Greeks able to win?• National Pride: Sparta and Athens were able to

put aside differences and unite in common goal• Geography: Greeks were able to use geography

to their advantage• Comparison to today? • American Revolution; others?• Final results: Athens rebuilt, “Golden Age of

Athens”