Persia
Attacks
the
Greeks
The Persian Empire
PERSIA BACKGROUND
• Persians were warriors and nomads.
• Cyrus the Great united the Persians.
PERSIA BACKGROUND
• Darius came to power in 521 B.C.
and reorganized the government.
• The empire was divided into
satrapies
• Each had a ruler known as a satrap:
a protector of the kingdom.
• Persia’s military =
BATTLE OF MARATHON
The Persian Wars (Continued)
• After Darius died,
his son Xerxes
became king.
• He started a new
invasion of Greece.
• The Persians had
180,000 troops.
• Athens and Sparta
joined forces to
defend against
Xerxes’s attack.
Assignment
• Homework tonight:
– Create a comic (IN FULL COLOR)
of the battle of Marathon.
– Use at least 6 scenes.
– Be sure to explain what is
happening in your comic.
– Due Tomorrow in class!
Battle of Thermopylae
Battle of Plataea
The Persian Wars
•
Marathon (490 BCE)
– 26 miles from Athens, Greek victory
•
Thermopylae (480 BCE)
– 300+ Spartans at the Mountain pass,
Persian victory
•
Salamis (480 BCE)
– Athenian navy victorious
•
Plateau (479 BCE)
– Greek victory
Fall of the Persian Empire
• The Persian Empire fell for several
reasons.
–