Persian Wars
Cause of wars: Athenian support of Greek
colonies in Persia
Battle of Marathon: 490 BCE
Won by Athens’ phalanx,
a 10 to 1 victory
Role of Pheidippides –
ran 26 miles (from Marathon)
to tell city of the victory,
then died.
480 BCE – Second Invasion
Battle of Thermopylae
Spartans and Athenians can’t stop Persians
Historic last stand by Leonidas and 300 Spartans
Athens burned
Thermopylae was the scene of the heroic
death of Leonidas I and his 1400 men, 300
Spartans. In their attempt to stop the
Persian invasion in 480 BCE. The Greeks
were betrayed by a spy who told the Persians
about a path over the mountain, attacked the
Greeks from the rear, and killed all the Spartans.
The Battle of Thermopylae was recorded
by the Greek historian Herodotus.
Battle of Salamis
Athens navy vs. Persian navy
Persians drawn into the straits
near Salamis
Persians: More ships, but bigger ships
trapped in the little straits
Athens Wins; Persians go home
GOLDEN AGE OF GREECE 479 – 431BCE
Height of Greek culture and development
Pericles and the Delian League
Pericles
For over 20 years, at Athens' height, the city was dominated by
the aloof, 'Olympian' figure of Pericles. A magnificent orator with
a reputation for scrupulous honesty, Pericles deepened and
extended the reforms that Cleisthenes had set in motion some
50 years before.
A keen patron of learning
and the arts, he masterminded
the construction of the
Parthenon.
However, in glorifying Athens,
he set it upon a collision course
with Sparta that would
Ultimately lead to its ruin.
Pericles as Leader
• creates direct democracy
• Takes over Delian League; uses
money to strengthen Athenian
fleet beautify Athens
• Pericles builds the Parthenon
• Classical art—values harmony,
order, balance, proportion,
beauty