Transcript The Persian Wars

The Persian Wars
Persian Wars Basics
When: 499-479 BCE
 Who: Allied Greek city states v. the Persian
Empire

Persia
Largest empire the world had ever seen
 Ruled by powerful kings
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Before the War
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When? 546 BCE
Persia conquers the Greeks along the Ionian coast and
force them to pay tribute (taxes) to the Persian Empire
Ionian Revolt
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When: 499 BCE Ionians
asked the naval power of
Athens to help them gain
independence
 Athens sends a fleet and
wins a quick victory and
then goes home
 Ionians are left to fight for
themselves
 By 493 BCE the Persians
had defeated the Ionians
Greek Soldier
Helmet with face
guard and plume
Bronze chest
armour
Greaves
(leg armour)
Long spear
Wooden circular
shield
Greek warriors were known
as hoplites. They fought in
groups called phalanxes.
Phalanx
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Central Idea: Group is more important than the individual
Each person has a shield and a spear
The shield cover themselves and the person to their left
Greek Trireme
Sail
Group of hoplites
Rowers
below
deck
Bronze
battering ram
Three rows
of oars
Long slim hull
for speed
Greek warships were known
as triremes. The name
trireme means ‘a ship with
three rows of oars’.
Battle of Marathon
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490 BCE
Athenian army
had to fight
alone
Tricked the
Persian army
into a position
where they
could attack on
three sides
Phalanx
formation
proved effective
against Persian
foot soldiers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Cx-XB2eh-pQ
Pheidippedes Run
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Ran 150mi journey
from Marathon to
Sparta in two days to
ask for help
Sparta said no
Also said to have run
the 26mi from
Marathon to Athens to
announce the victory!
Then he died 
Modern Marathons
use this number of
miles
Xerxes Attacks

King Darius dies in
490 and his son
Xerxes takes over
 Launches a new
invasion of Greece
in 480 BCE
 Crosses the
Hellespont
(literally Bridge of
Greece) known
today as the
Dardanelles
 Ropes hundreds
of boats together
to cross the water
Battle of Thermopylae
Greeks needed to slow the Persian Army
down so that it did not get to Athens so
quickly
 Thermopylae was a narrow pass through
the mountains
 A traitor betrayed the Greeks and showed
the Persians a way around the pass
 Persians attacked from the rear

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/ancient-greece/videos/last-stand-of-the300-the-kill-zone
Battle Outcome

King Leonidas of Sparta sent most of the 7,000
Greek troops ahead to Athens to save them
 300 Spartan soldiers fought to the death to slow
down the Persians
 Gave Athens enough time to get 200 ships ready
for battle
https://www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=xNNzuO7_l
0Q
Battle of Salamis

Greek fleet of triremes attacked the
Persian fleet at the strait of Salamis
Battle Outcome

Greek ships were smaller and faster and could
turn better in tight spaces
 Persian fleet was practically destroyed
 Considered the turning pt. of the Persian War
Importance of the Persian Wars
1.
2.
3.
Athens, Sparta, and other Greek citystates came together to fight Persia
Athenian victories at Marathon & Salamis
left Athens in control of the Aegean Sea
Athens was not conquered so it
continued to make innovations in the
field of government and learning
How were the
Greeks able to
defeat the
large and
mighty
Persians?