Transcript Greece and Persia

Greece and Persia
Persia’s Background
• Started off as a group of unorganized,
nomadic people.
• Grew into a large empire thanks to
Cyrus the Great.
– Cyrus did not mistreat those he conquered,
earned him respect.
• Later ruled by Darius I  claimed
power and expanded the empire even
further.
The Persians Fight Greece
• 499 BC, several cities in the Persian
Empire rebelled.
– Greek city-states send troops to assist.
– Persians ended the rebellion but were
angry with Greece for getting involved.
– Darius I swears that he will get revenge.
Why did the Persians invade Greece?
AGH!
We’re on
the way!
Those Greeks
will pay for
this!!
Help!
The Battle of Marathon
• 9 yrs. Later
– Darius I invaded Greece in Athens (near
Athens).
– Invasion started the Persian Wars  series
of wars between Persia and Greece.
• Athens – 11,000 soldiers
• Persia – 15,000 soldiers
– Greeks win  clever leaders.
The Battle of Marathon (Legend)
• The Greeks sent their fastest runner to
carry home news of the victory to
Athens.
• He sprinted 26.2 miles.
• He arrived and said, “Rejoice, we
conquer,” and died from exhaustion
• The Marathon race is named after this
event.
The Second Invasion of Greece
• 10 yrs. later  Xerxes I tried to
conquer Greece.
– Persian army and navy head for
Greece.
– Sparta (another city-state) joined the
fight between Athens & Persia.
Thermopylae: The Last Stand
• A Small Spartan force of about 300 men
commanded by King Leonidas, guarded
the mountain pass of Thermopylae.
• They held out heroically against the
enormous Persian force for three days.
• They were betrayed when someone told
the Persians how to get in behind the
army.
• They were defeated, but won valuable time
for the rest of the Greeks.
Who won at Salamis?
The Persians marched
south after their
victory at
Thermopylae and
destroyed the city of
Athens.
The Athenians had
already moved to
Salamis, a small
nearby island.
Thermopylae
Salamis
Athens
More than 800
Persian ships
attacked the
Athenian navy
near the island.
The large Persian ships could not maneuver in the water.
The smaller Greek ships destroyed them.
Results of the Persian Wars
• The Greek sense of uniqueness was increased.
• Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state
in Greece.
• Athens organized an alliance with other Greek
city-states.
• Athens asserted power and built an
Athenian Empire.
• Moved the treasury to Athens.