The Persian Wars
Causes
Greek colonies in Asia Minor rebelled against
Persian Rule
• The Mother cities like Athens sent aid to those
cities, which made the Persians mad
– According to legend, the Persian Emperor Darius
was so mad, he had a servant whisper “Master,
don’t forget the Athenians” into his ear every day.
Battles
• The Greeks made expert use of the terrain to
their advantage
– For Example, they used the mountains to prevent
the Persians from moving around
Battle of Marathon
• Athens single-handedly defeats a Persian army 3
times its size!
• Legend: Following the battle, an Athenian soldier
named Pheidippides
ran 26.2 miles back
to Athens to tell of
the victory. He
made it all the way
back yelling
“Nike! Nike!”
(Victory! Victory!)
He collapsed and died
right afterwards.
Thermopolyae
• 7,000 Greeks prevent the Persians from
advancing into Greece for 3 Days
– Buy the rest of the Greeks time
• 300 Spartas led by King Leonidas stayed
behind and died to the last man.
Battle of Salamis Bay
• Athens’ navy delivers a decisive blow to the
Persian army by trapping it in Salamis Bay near
Athens.
Effects
1. Greece remains free & independent!
2. Athens becomes most powerful city in
Greece. Athens builds a navy. Uses that navy to
control the Delian League, an alliance of Greek
cities.
3. Athens enters its “Golden Age.” (Golden Age
of Pericles).