4.3
Persia
Attacks
the
Greeks
The Persian Empire
PERSIA BACKGROUND
• Persians were warriors and nomads
who lived in Persia, the southwestern
area of what is today Iran.
• Cyrus the Great united the Persians.
• The Persians built a large empire,
conquering Mesopotamia, Asia Minor,
Syria, Canaan, and Phoenician cities.
PERSIA BACKGROUND
• Darius came to power in 521 B.C.
and reorganized the government.
• The empire under Darius was divided
into satrapies-states, each with a
ruler known as a satrap-a protector
of the kingdom.
• The military of Persia consisted of
full-time, paid soldiers known as
Immortals.
The Persian Wars
• As the Greeks set up colonies in the
Mediterranean area, they often clashed with
the Persians.
• By the mid-500s B.C., Persia already
controlled the Greek cities in Asia Minor.
• In 499 B.C. Athenians helped the Greeks in
Asia Minor rebel against their Persian
rulers….The Greek Rebellion Failed
• After this, King Darius decided to stop the
Greeks from interfering in his empire ever
again.
BATTLE OF MARATHON
• The Battle of Marathon occurred in 490 B.C. on the
plain of Marathon, a short distance from Athens.
• There were 20,000 Persian troops and 10,000 Greek
troops.
• The Persians waited there several days for the
Athenians.
• When they did not come, the Persian commander
ordered the troops back on the boat.
• When the horsemen were on the boat, the Greeks
charged the Persian foot soldiers and defeated them.
• Legend has it, that the Athenians sent a messenger
home with the news. He ran for about 25 miles and
with his last breath yelled, “Victory.” Then he died
• Thus the reason why we called a 26 mile race a
Marathon
The Persian Wars (Continued)
• After Darius’s death,
his son Xerxes
became king.
• He vowed a new
invasion of Greece.
• The Persians had
180,000 troops.
• Athens and Sparta
joined forces to
defend against
Xerxes’s attack.
– Greek Army led by
Leonidas and were
mostly Spartan
– Greek Navy led by
Themistocles and were
mostly Athenian
Battle of Thermopylae
• Greeks knew Persians were marching south for
shipments of food.
• Greek Game Plan: Army of 7000 would meet
Persians at Thermopylae while the Navy attacks
troops transport and supply ships.
– Thermopylae
• Delay Tactic
• Greek Traitor, gives Persians alternate route through mountains
• Leonidas, Spartan warrior, sends all but a few hundred troops
to safety
• 300-800 men wait in a mountain pass for Persians
• Hold off Persians long enough for ALL GREEKS to get
out of Athens
– Salamis
• Greek Navy attacks supply lines and destroys Persians naval
force at the Strait of Salamis
• Able to do this because they had fast ships that could maneuver
quickly through the narrow pass.
Battle of Plataea
• Greeks in Crete
– Have a Persian army
in Greece with no
supplies and no
reinforcements.
– Greek navy and
people congregated
in Crete.
– While in Crete in 479
they form the largest
Greek Army and head
back to Mainland
Greece.
– They attack the
Persians at Plataea
and the Greek defeat
the Persians.
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.
– The Persians were weakened by war, and
their rulers taxed the people and spent the
money lavishly.
– Persian royal families fought over who was to
be king. Many kings were killed by family
members who wanted the throne
– Persian kings had many wives and children and
all of the sons were constantly trying to take
over the throne
– 6 of 9 rulers after Darius were murdered
Assignment