Greeks and Persians The Persian Empire Achaemenid Empire

Greeks and Persians

The Persian Empire Achaemenid Empire: Capital: Susa Cyrus (559 -530) – founder, great strategist, Zoroastrian enthusiast Conquers Media, Lydia, Bactria, etc. Babylonia Cambyses adds Egypt (525) Darius (521 -486) northern India, Thrace and Macedonia. Ionia Persian Wars (499– 449) with Greece end expansion.

Organization: Persian Empire Darius & Xerxes Holding Audience “King of Kings”

Persian Empire Trade in unified empire Royal Fortress at Persepolis Regular taxes, coinage, law Persian Royal Road “viyataka” – permit to travel on Royal Road & allowance Extensive spy network Local customs respected

Persian Society Satraps: governors Persians not taxed Garrison troops / officials throughout empire Educated bureaucrats Huge gap: rich and poor. Free citizens and slaves. Science and Math: eclipses predicted / place -value notation

Zoroastrianism Zarathustra (6 th. c) Universe and soul: battlegrounds between Ahura Mazda, (good and truth), and Angra Mainyu / Ahriman (evil and deception). Last Judgment The world is a material blessing from Ahura Mazda. (left: priest)

Ionian Discontent Coincides with Athenian Revolution under Cleisthenes (c. 500) Aristagoras, Ionian tyrant of Miletus (under control of Persians) proclaims democracy Ionian city-states follow suit Steals Persian fleet from port north of Miletus 499 Asks mainland Greece for support

Persian Wars: Early Phase Athenians give Ionians warships (499) Ionians burn (Persian) Sardis Persians destroy Miletus, terrorizing city Persian envoys to Greece, demanding earth & water – Sparta and Athens refuse (in different ways)

Marathon (490) 491 – Persians conquer Macedonia 490 - Persian fleet to punish Athens To barricade city or to meet Persians on Plains of Marathon (“forward strategy”)? Assembly votes forward strategy. Why? 20, 000 Persian infantry and cavalry on plain of Marathon near Athens Philippides to Sparta – no luck / only Plataens help

Marathon II Athenians block roads to Athens Persians send cavalry off (why? Look at map!) Militiades attacks Persian infantry Athenian line: heavy wings, weak center (led by Themistokles & Aristides) Result? Pursuit through marshes Persians to attack Athens by sea Athenian march to Athens Greek victory

Changes in Athens (490 -481) Archons chosen by lot from candidates selected by demes Ostracism exiled 10 year Themistokles fortifies Piraeus Silver deposits to build 200 triremes Unites Athens with Sparta, others in League Patriotism / unity

Second Persian Attack 481 Persian army march along Aegean coast, supplied by ships Greek strategy: defeat navy first. Why? Tries to force Persian ships into narrow strait (left: Themistokles)

Thermopylae Pass 480 Holding action Naval engagements – Artemisium Persians outflank Spartans Leonidas sacrifices self and men “Stranger, tell the Lacedaemonians that here we lie, obedient to their orders. ” Persian enter overland Burn Acropolis

Battle of Salamis 480 Athenians retreat to Salamis Themistokles tricks Xerxes Greeks lure Persians into a narrow bay, hand-to-hand combat 200 out of 350 Persian ships lost Plataea – Greek land victory

Impact of War 486/7: Athenians take over leadership of alliance Delian League: root of the Athenian Empire 449 – Persians tacitly agree not to attack Greeks Herodotus: contest between freedom and tyranny / punishment of hubris of Xerxes Why do we think Greeks won?