Ancient History 10
December 9th, 2014
Back Story
• For the 8th – 7th century the Hellenes people
lived a life of luxury and prosperity
• From this luxury and prosperity the
population exploded, soon enough it became
unsustainable for Greece to feed this many
people
• Colonizing became the only option
Greece/ Persian Map
Change is coming
• By the 6th century the balance of power in the
Ancient world was changing
• Croesus of Lydia had gained control of the
Coastal colonies of the Greek-city States
• The Persian Empire had been expanding for
centuries northward but had been stopped by
the Lydians
Loss of Colonies
• When Croesus could no longer hold off the
Persians his small Empire was enveloped by
the Colossus that was Persia, thus making
Greek-City States part of Persia
• For the same reason Greek-City states used
the colonies so did Persian Empire, revenue
for the Country and strategic bases
• The Greek people who were living in these
Greek communities did not like the tyrannical
rule they were under
• By 499 BC they had enough
• Miletus led a revolt of the Greek people and
asked for help form mainland Greek-City
States
Who would come?
• Miletus stated this revolt was to see “whether
we are to be free of slaves”, did he mean just
for the colonies or did he have a deeper
meaning?
• The greatest military power the Spartans
declined to help, why?
Help arrives
• Athens and Eretria answer the call of the
colonies and send Warriors and ships to fight
in the revolt
• Show of force but not actual large numbers....
• Athens and Eretria sent about 25 ships to help
in the revolt
Consequences of Revolt
• The Revolt was initially successful as the
combined forces were able to burn down
Sardis which was the Persian Governor’s
hometown... Bad idea
• Athens & Eretria left the fight and the revolt
was quickly routed but there involvement
would ring loudly through history
Darius’ Promise
• By helping in the revolt the Athenians &
Eretria’s were now on the hit list
• Darius 1 the King of Persia during it’s most
prosperous years created a dynasty 4000km in
size or about half of Canada
• His eyes were now set on the mainland and he
was given a reminder each and everyday
• “ Master remember the Athenians” was
whispered in his ear 3 times in a row, at every
meal
• Compared in the Persian Empire, Greek-City
States were tiny
David vs Goliath
A United Greece
Persian Empire
• The problem was Greece was never united,
fought eachother yearly, never agreed on
anything
• Advantage was that they had soldiers who
were tough, superior battle techniques and
weapons, Great Leaders (Sparta/Athens)
• Greek freedom was in serious danger, which
would effect the development of Europe and
Western Civ. As we know it
WARRR!!
• There were Two separate Greek Persian Wars
• Stretching between 490 BC- 479 BC
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=514IEcgz
1Q8
• Battle of Marathon
• Finish documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOwZ6X
WyDQ
Marathon
By 490 BC Darius
was ready to exact
revenge and he
had an Ace up his
sleeve -----
The Exiled tyrant
wanted to regain
power and led the
Persians
Invasion of Greece
• Darius sent a modest force...some 80,000
men, which to put in context was 6 times as
many people Sparta had in population and 8
times it’s Army
• Laid Siege on Eretria for 6 days, little
resistance met and with the Gates opened,
the city was burned to the ground which leads
to a famous historical battle
Marathon
Marathon was the
sheltered beach plain
area in Attica where
the battle would take
place
2km by 6km, a large
enough space to land
for the massive army
All Day Runner
• Athens was worried
• Sent an “All Day Runner” to Sparta to plead of
assistance...which was 250km away
• 4 days later he returned with bad news, the
Spartans would not come until after the full
moon, 1 week away
• (Ironically he did this trip twice and died upon
returning to Athens the second time)
The only All Day Runner who could
make it
Marathon
• And so 10,000 Greek Athenians stood against
an Army of 25-80 thousand
• Hopelessly outnumbered the 10 Generals
voted on what to do of course they did this
democratically
• General Miltiodes came up with a radical
idea...the best defence is a strong
offence...Attack
• Miltiodes had gained information stating that
the Persian cavalry grazed and watered at
night, leaving them useless during the early
morning
• The Persian Cavalry was like the Spartan
Phalanx...a terrifying enemy and without it
they stood a chance
Dangers of Attack
• Though this planned seemed crazy because of
the causalities they could have on the
battlefield that was the least of their worries
• If they attack failed it would mean a clear cut
path for the Persian Army to Athens
Just follow the path
Dawn of the Attack
• At Dawn the Greek Hoplites Soldiers attacked,
breaking into a sprint when they got within
range of the enemies to try and avoid
• There plan was lengthen out as long as the
Marathon Beach so there was no way for the
Persians to outflank them with their superior
numbers
Battle Plan
The Greeks would run at
the Persians directly, the
middle would be weaker
and would slowly sag
inward
The outer ranks which
were equipped with better
weapons and stronger
Warriors would then
defeat the outer ranks and
swoop in ward to cut off
and trap all the Persians
that had advanced with
the Center Sag
Greek Victory
• Superior discipline, armour and surprise lead
to victory
• This win is forever remembered
• The Persians retreated to their ships, while the
Athenians sent a messenger to run the 40km
back to Athens to tell of victory
• It’s from this distance the runner ran and the
name of the place in which the battle took
place, that we get our common name for a
long distance run “Marathon”
• 6400 Persians Dead
• 192 Greeks
• Changed the history of the world
• Spartans showed up fashionably late..2 days
Aftermath of Marathon
• Persian fleet sailed around coast hoping to
catch Athens undefended
• They marched back to defend Athens
• Persians left without a fight
Significance of War
• 1) Keyed up Athenians to make unimaginable
patriotic pitch
• 2) Sparta had been shown it was possible for
Greeks to beat Persians
• 3) Most important- other greek city states
were inspired to resist the future Persian
invasions
10 years Grace
• Persians went back to there Empire and
regrouped for 10 years, leaving Greece the
possibility to prepare for a future invasion
• Great Athenian General Themistocles rises to
power because of the Battle at Marathon
Themistocles
• Popular man, with jovial face who was a
leading politician who many thought was
softhearted...Not the Case
• Man of uncompromising ideals
• Able to analyse situations quickly and deal
with it
• Convinced politicians to use extra money
(silver) for fleet of 200 ships to protect Greece
2nd Persian War
• Persian Expedition into Greece again began in
480 BC
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4clrLjRFp
Mo
• This expedition was led by the new King
Xerxes who took over after Darius Death, he
was his Son
• Xerxes sent 600 ships and at least 200,000
infantry troops, the number has been said to
be anywhere near 1.7 million
• Largest invasion of Europe in history until the
Allied Invasions of Sicily & Italy during the
Second World War
Persian Problem
• The Persians and Xerxes had one major
problem, how was he going to get his massive
army to Greece?
• He did not have enough ships to send all the
men by sea
• Walking his men around to Greece would take
months and months
Solution
Technological
Advancements
Xerxes decided to cut
off half his time by
creating a bridge
across the Hellespoint.
He made a bridge of
ships held together
with cables made out
of linen and papyrus
that were said to have
been as thick as a
mans torso
The Grand Meeting place
Thermopylae
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhgMn9r
vn_Y
• The Greeks chose to make their last stand in a
narrow passage way along the Aegean Sea,
hoping to use the geography of Greece herself
in defence
The Plan
• Sparta gathered the League of Peloponnesian
States of which they were the leader, at
Cornith to decide what to do
• Decision was made to defend the narrow
passage in Central Greece which the Persian
Army would have to cross
• Sparta the greatest Warriors were chosen to
lead the defence and King Leonidas was the
man in charge
The Hot Gates
Battle Plan
• Leonidas would lead the men to Thermoplyae
a small pass where large numbers would
mean nothing
• However he was not permitted his full Army
only a paltry 300 Spartans
• About 7000 total Warriors against some
200,000...may the odds be ever in the Greeks
Favour
• Several Days without Battle
• Scout reported that Spartans were exercising
and combing hair...didn’t have a care in the
world
• Finally launched an attack
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdNn5TZ
u6R8
Strategy
• Spartans used small area and Phalanx system
to hold off wave after wave on the front line
• Would ‘retreat’ the catch the Persians in a trap
and kill them
• 2 days of intense battle and the Greeks might
win...
Victory in Defeat
• The Greeks were betrayed by a fellow greek
who led the Persians through the mountains
and surrounded the Warriors
• Persians now were everywhere
• Spartans stay while others leave
• 300 + 700, fought tooth and nail to the death
Heroic Stand
• “Go tell a Sparta, thou that passest by, That
here obedient to her word we lie.”
• Leonidas and his Warriors died and the
Persian Army marched on Central Greece, but
though they lost, the courage shown boosted
moral of all Greeks and made them not
surrender
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6M5FukAoE
Cost of Defeat
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTcDIfin
Wug
• The Cost of the Spartan defeat was large,
Athens now had no resistance and the Persian
Army ascended upon it and burned the City to
the ground
Salamis
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDrSLtSG
e3U