1. The Persian Wars
Mrs. Hadgraft

2. Growing Armies Iron replaces bronze 1200 BCE
Iron was harder than bronze, more common, and much cheaper
Common people could afford weapons
Armies were now comprised of rich and poor alike
Hoplites: Greek foot soldiers; fought in a formation called a phalanx
Hoplites fought side-by-side, holding spears and shields
Became the most powerful fighting force in the ancient world

3. The Phalanx

4. Persian War Persia: Dominated the Middle East
From Anatolia to the Indus River
The Ionian city states rebelled; the Athenians supported them (500 BCE)
Ionia had been a Greek city-state until they were conquered the Persians in 546 BCE
Darius sent troops to teach Athens a lesson

5. The Persian War: Battle of Marathon
490 BCE
25,000 Persians landed in Athens at Marathon
10,000 Athenian men arranged in the phalanx, were waiting
The Persians fled after a few hours
The Athenian’s iron armor was stronger than the Persian armor
The Athenians were more organized and better trained

6. The Marathon The city of Athens was left without defense
Pheidippides raced back to Athens to report the Persian defeat
So that those in the city would not give up to Persian forces
He ran 24 miles from Marathon to Athens
“Rejoice, we conquer.” Were his words, before he died
When the Persians arrived, the city was heavily defended; they retreated back to sea

8. The Second Phase 10 years later, 480 BCE Xerxes: Darius’ son
Assembled an invasion to destroy Athens
The Greeks city-states were divided
Some wanted to fight the Persians, others wanted to let Athens fall, other fought on the side of the Persians

9. Battle of Thermopylae 480 BCE
A narrow mountain pass
7,000 Greeks, including 300 Spartans blocked the way
The Greeks stopped the Persians for three days
Xerxes was informed of a way around by a traitor
The Spartans sacrificed their lives, all of them were killed, to allow for the Athenians to retreat

11. Battle of Salamis 480 BCE
Athenian general Themistocles evacuated the city
Brought the fight to the sea
Positioned fleet in channel near the island of Salamis
Xerxes burned Athens
Xerxes blocked both sides of the channel
Persian ships were too big to turn around in the channel
Smaller Greek ships defeated the Persians
Armed with battering rams rammed the Persian ships
1/3 of the fleet sank

13. Battle of Plataea 479 BCE Persian army faced another defeat
This was a major turning point
The Persians would remain on the defensive for the remainder of the war

15. The Delian League 478 BCE Several Greek city-states formed an alliance
Name derives from Delos: an island in the Aegean sea where the headquarters were located
The league ended the Persian Wars and defeated Xerxes

16. Effects of the Persian War
Persian threat ended
Athens became the leader of the Delian League
Athens used this power to control other city-states
This lead Athens into a Golden Age
The war united Athens and Sparta

17. http://europeanhistory.boisestate.edu/westciv/persian /