Chapter 9: The Greek World
Section 1: Greece and Persia
Chapter 9: The Greek World
Section 1: Greece and Persia
Page 260
Overtime the Persians
came to rule a great
empire which
eventually brought
them into conflict with
the Greeks.
Greece and Persia
The Big Idea
Over time the Persians came to rule a great empire which eventually
brought them into conflict with the Greeks.
Main Ideas
• Persia became an empire under Cyrus the Great.
• The Persian Empire grew stronger under Darius I.
• The Persians fought Greece twice in the Persian Wars.
Activity Criteria
Preparation: 20mins; Presentation: 4-5mins
• Completely explain the assigned section
– Include people, places and any terms
• Need a visual of at least one concept from
assigned section (Doc Cam)
• Must present the material using all members of
your group in a creative way (Doc Cam)
• Must provide verbal quick questions at the end of
presentation to ensure the audience listened and
received the material
Main Idea 1:
Persia became an empire under
Cyrus the Great.
• Cyrus the Great won independence for Persia from the Medes,
marking the beginning of the Persian Empire.
• Cyrus conquered many people but let them keep their own
customs.
• This kept people from rebelling against his strong empire.
• Cyrus the Great ruled the largest empire the world had ever seen.
• When Cyrus the Great dies, his son Cambyses takes the throne
and expands the empire, even conquering Egypt.
The Persian Army
The army was
composed of
Immortals, which
were 10,000
soldiers chosen for
their bravery and
skill.
The army also had
a cavalry, a unit of
soldiers who ride
horses with
arrows. Cyrus used
the cavalry to
charge at and
shoot enemies with
arrows.
This army was
strong because it
was well organized
and loyal.
Together the
components of the
army could defeat
almost any enemy.
Main Idea 2:
The Persian Empire grew
stronger under Darius I.
• Within four years of Cambyses’ death, a young prince named
Darius I claimed the throne.
• He killed all his rivals for power and then worked to restore order in
Persia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQcEmiGCaCo
Persian Society
• Darius organized the empire into 20 provinces, each led by a
governor called a satrap. They collected taxes, served as judges,
and put down rebellions.
• He built many roads (Royal Roads) that connected various parts of
the empire. He also had messengers that traveled these roads.
• He also built a new capital, called Persepolis.
• During his rule a new religion arose, called Zoroastrianism.
– This religion taught that two forces were fighting in the universe:
a good force and an evil force.
• Darius expanded the empire by conquering the entire Indus Valley.
Persepolis
Modern-day Iran
Main Idea 3:
The Persians fought Greece
twice in the Persian Wars.
• Darius was angry that the Greeks had aided a revolt against the
Persians, so he invaded Greece in a series of battles known as the
Persian Wars. The Persian Wars are 3 battles.
• The first battle is The Battle of Marathon
– Where do you think we get the term marathon from?
• Greece had better weapons and more clever leaders.
The Second Invasion of Greece
• The Second Battle is called the Battle at Thermopylae. Xerxes I
tried to conquer Greece again, this time joined by the Persian navy.
• In this battle, Sparta joins Athens against the Persian Empire. The
Greeks were unsuccessful; Persians defeat the Greeks.
• In the Third Battle of the Persian Wars, the Battle of Salamis, the
Greeks defeated the Persians at Plataea, ending the Persian Wars.