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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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