1. Circa 500 B.C.E. – 338 B.C.E. Chapter 4 Section 3
Classical Greece
Circa 500 B.C.E. – 338 B.C.E.
Chapter 4 Section 3

2. The Challenge of Persia
Ionian Greek cities (In Asia Minor) had fallen to the Persian empire from the East. The Athenian Navy tried to help the Ionian Greeks revolt, but the challenge was unsuccessful.
- Darius, the Persian ruler at the time vowed to seek revenge against the Athenians.
* In 490 B.C.E. the Persians land near Athens . Although the Persians outnumbered the Athenians, the Athenians were victorious, marking the 1st time a group of Greeks defeated the Persian Empire.

3. The Challenge of Persia
Mindful of a possible threat of more attacks by the Persians, Some (not all) of the Greek city-states formed a defensive pact led by the Spartans, the most skillful of all the Greek warriors.
- The Athenian’s however had other ideas for their defense, they would build a Navy with over 200 ships.
In 480 B.C.E. the Persians again return to Greece to exert their influence over the Greeks. This time the Persians returned with over 180,000 troops and thousands of war ships.

4. The Persian Wars

5. The Challenge of Persia
Individually these city-states were outnumbered, their only chance to survive was to put their rivalries & differences aside & unite against the Persians.
The first major battle was in Thermopylae, here the united Greeks led by 300 Spartans battle courageously against the larger Persian Army before eventually falling.
The Athenians, knowing that the Persians had defeated the Greeks in Thermopylae, abandoned Athens for the island of Salamis as the Persians approached. From Salamis the Athenian Navy launched an attack on the Persian fleet, defeating them even though they were outnumbered.

6. Battle of Thermopylae

7. The Challenge of Persia
Following the defeat of the Persian Navy, an Army of united Greeks defeated the Persian Army near Athens.

8. Age of Pericles
Under the guidance of Pericles, an Athenian political figure, the Athenian Empire flourished mainly due to a democratic government but also due to the expansion of its territories abroad.
Democracy, and even more so the style of democracy (direct democracy) was a major reason why the Athenians maintained control of the Greek world.
The poorer class also partook in politics, some were now interested in running for certain positions because these posts paid well.

9. The Athenian Empire
Following the defeat of the Persians, Athens became the most power Greek city-states, They now controlled the entire Greek world.
Still fearful of the Persian threat, the Greek city-states, led by Athens created the Delian League to defend against the Persians.
The league was not only formed for defensive purposes. The league also initiated conflicts with the Persian until virtually all the Greek city-states were free from Persian rule.

10. Peloponnesian War
Following the conflicts with the Persians, The Greek world was split into two camps.
- The Athenian Empire
- Sparta & their Allies
The two camps split due to differences amongst their distinct society.
The Athenians knowing they could not defeat the Spartans in battle, Stayed within Athens, whose great wall kept the Spartans from entering the city.
The Athenians heavily weakened after spending much of their time behind the city walls, eventually fell to the Spartans when the Athenian Navy was destroyed. As a result of this war Athens and Sparta were both weakened and now susceptible to attack from the growing Macedonian Empire to the North.