1. Chapter 4-3 Notes: Persia attacks Greece
I. The Persian empire- originated from warriors from Persia- southwest Iran. The empire covered Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Syria, Canaan, and Phoenician cities.
Cyrus the Great-United Persia
Darius- reorganized the government into districts
1. satrapies- districts of Persia.
2. satrap- or “protector of the kingdom”; acted like a governor of the district
C. Immortals- full-time soldiers; Darius power
depended on his army.
D. Zoroastrianism- religion of Persia
1.) Founded by : Zoroaster
2.) Beliefs: a.) one god; b.) freedom of the human will;
c.) the triumph of good

2. The Persian Wars
A. King Darius tried to stop the Greeks b/c of rebellions
B. The Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.- Greece won; runner ran 26 miles to proclaim victory over the Persians
C. Xerxes- son of Darius, vowed a new invasion Invaded Greece- a.) revenge, b.) glory, & c.) greater land increase.
D. Athens & Sparta joined forces to defend against Xerxes.
E. Battle of Thermopylae (300)- King Leonidas and 300 Spartans defended against around 300,000 Persians. (Spartans)They lost.
F. Battle of Salamis- place where the Greek fleet attacked the Persian fleet was the strait of Salamis.
1.) Themistocles- Athenian general

3. Continued Persian Wars
G. Persian army defeated at Plataea.
H. Causes of Persian defeat: weakened by wars heavy taxes of Persians weak rulers
I. Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 334 B.C.
J. History of the Persian Wars- Herodotus