Athens and Sparta Persian Wars 500 448 BCE

Athens and Sparta

Persian Wars 500 – 448 BCE the greatest understandable event in human memory; distinguished the Greek from the "barbarian".

The Persian Empire Cyrus the Great

Darius I: “Remember the Athenians…”

Battle of Marathon And the Winner is…Athens!

Xerxes: “I’ll be Back!”

To Awe his Opponents: The Pontoon Bridge and Canal through Mt. Athos

The Greek Hoplite Army

Greek vs. Persian

Prophecies of Delphi • Athens – “Wooden Walls” • Sparta – “Death of a king”

Battle of Thermopylae and the winner is…Persia!

Burn Athens burn!

Battle of Salamis And the winner is…the Greeks!

Persian War Aftermath: Athens and Sparta- “I ain’t your BFF!” Delian League vs. Peloponnesian League

Meanwhile… Athens achieved its “Golden/Classical Age”

Peloponnesian Wars “A war to end all wars…”

The 2 Sides: Athens vs. Sparta

Fast Facts… • Source of information - Thucydides – “This day will be the beginning of great evils for the Greeks. ” • Greeks called “the war b/w Peloponnesians and Athenians” • Lasted 27 years • Fighting ranged across Greek world • At wars end, “Golden Age” of Greece over

Why did the Peloponnesian war start? • According to Thucydides… – “Spartan fear of the growth of Athenian Power” • Big Idea: War of Opposing Ideologies “This day will be the beginning of great evils for the Greeks. ”

The War is On! Sparta attacks Athens

Stage 1: The Age of Pericles • War strategy: – Caution • Major Event: – Athens overrun with plague • End of Stage 1: – Death of Pericles

Stage 2: Age of Cleon • War strategy: – Aggressive • Major Events: – Colonization – Mytilene • End of Stage 2: – Death of Cleon – Peace of Nicias

Stage 3: Age of Alcibiades • War strategy: – Aggressive • Major Events: – Ended Peace of Nicias – Punishment of Melos – Invasion of Sicily • End of Stage 3 and the War: – Spartans launched surprise attack on Athenian fleet; starved Athens into submission

Thucydides • “For never had so many cities been captured and destroyed, whether by the barbarians or by the Greeks who were fighting each other…Never had so many men been exiled or slaughtered, whether in the war or because of civil conflicts. ”

The Macedonians Destroyer of Greek Independence OR Saviors of Greek Culture?

Macedonia • North of Mt. Olympus • Largest & wealthiest Greek city-state • Warlike people w/ loyalty to throne • “Lovers of things Greek” – Considered Barbarians by Greeks

Phillip II • Father Alex. Great • United Macedonia lands • Created new and improved phalanx • Conquered Greek peninsula; dreamed of defeating Persians • Big Idea: Alex. Great nobody, w/o daddy

Alexander the Great • Arguably one of the greatest military generals of all time • Created vast Empire – Ionian Sea to Himalaya Mts. • Responsible for preservation and diffusion of Hellenism