Greece and Persia Collide Persia Largest empire to

Greece and Persia Collide

Persia • Largest empire to date, stretching from modern day India to Egypt and Turkey • Largest armies seen to date, with hundreds of thousands serving when mobilized • Technologically advanced • Tolerant of other cultures and religions • Absolute Monarchy

Persian Empire 500 BC

Greece • Despite common language, divided into citystates (poleis) • Advanced tactics with hoplite infantry • Great contributions to art and science • Political structure varied from partial democracies to absolute monarchies

Greece in the Persian Wars

What Started it All • Persia conquered Ionia where Greeks lived (west coast modern Turkey) • In 499 BC when Persian King Darius raised taxes, the Ionian Greeks got mad and revolted – Athens backed Greek city of Miletus • Persians crushed the revolts but also wanted to punish Athens for interfering

Battle of Marathon 490 BC • After burning Eritrea to the north, the Persians land at Marathon, NE of Athens • Athenians and Plateans are outnumbered 25, 000 to 10, 000 • Greeks chose to attack to pick the ground they would fight on

Thermopylae 480 BC • Xerxes, wants revenge for his father’s defeat at Marathon and invades Greece • 300 Spartans and thousands of allies held Persian army of 150, 000 at pass for a week • The last stand saw the Spartans, 700 Thespians, and 300 Thebans face the Persians https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=a. Na 3 C o 83_gk&index=55&list=PL 78 o. Ge. N 4 h. XC 1 kzp P 5 m. E 8 Vb 8 Wx 4 i. ZFun. IT

Salamis 480 BC • Oracle told Athenians to put their faith in the wooden wall, in other words, their fleet [half Greek fleet is Athenian] • Greeks feign retreat near Salamis and when Persians pursue the Greeks turn and defeat them in the narrow channel • Despite being outnumbered by 800 to 400 triremes, the Greeks win

Platea 479 BC • With fleet defeated at Salamis, Persians could not supply army • Xerxes left Greece and his general Mardonius commanded the remnants of the Persian army • Combined Greek force of 40, 000 defeats 80, 000 Persians at Platea, ending Persian threat

Myths You Will Hear • Greeks (West) fought for freedom against oppression of Persians (East) • Persians outnumbered Greeks 10 to 1 in many battles but were defeated due to being essentially slaves

Outcomes of the Wars • Greek victory creates a sense of unity • Persian threat removed permanently – next serious threat comes from Rome 300 years later • Athens had control of what was left of Aegean Greece through leadership of the Delian League • Peloponnesian League formed by Sparta to counter power of Athens