Aim: What Advantages Did Greece Have During the Persian Wars?

How to Defeat the Persian Armies? New Style of Warefare 1) Shift from bronze to iron weapons All could afford weapons 2) Development of Phalanx Fighting formation where foot soldiers of army stood side by side each holding a spear and a shield Became most powerful fighting force and no match for Persians 2

Sacrifice in Battle Of Thermopylae Xerxes (King of Persians) sends a large invasion force to Attack Athens Initially meets no resistance on Greece’s coast 300 Spartans & 7000 Greeks block Persians at narrow mountain of Thermopylae Greeks stop Persians for 3 days Spartans sacrifice All were killed by Persians Sacrifice made impression on Greeks 3

Athenians Defend City at Sea Athenians evacuate city & fight at sea Positioned fleet in narrow channel near Salamis Persian ships having difficulty turning in narrow channel Greek ships were smaller and able to sink 1/3 of Xerxes fleet. 4

Greeks Form Alliances Greek city-states formed alliance called the Delian Alliance drove Persians from territories surrounding Greece Athens emerged as leader of Delian League Grown into 200 city-states Result: Athens enters its Golden Age 5