Mr. Dixon Persian Wars 490 BCE – 479 BCE

Ionian Revolt In 546 BC the Persians conquered wealthy Greek settlements in Ionia After many years of Persian rule, the Greek settlers in Ionia had had enough of the Persians. The Ionians knew they could not defeat the Persians on their own. They asked mainland Greece for help.

Map of Persia

Athens to the Rescue Athens sent soldiers and a small fleet of ships to Ionia. The Athenians quickly had success. They left the Ionians to defend themselves against the Persians

What Happened Then? Some citizens were sold into slavery and the Ionian army was crushed. At this point King Darius wants to extend his empire into mainland Greece. King Darius sent a representative to ask for “gifts” of earth and water from the ancient Greek mainland. These “gifts” would be sign of that the Greeks agreed to Persian rule.

Here is What Happened…Well, Sort of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZeYVIWz99I

Who Fought? The Persians fought against the Greeks Persia was ruled by Darius and Xerxes Greeks – Athenians, Spartans, Ionians

What caused the Persian Wars? Persia controlled Ionia but Greeks were already living there. In 499 BCE when Persian King Darius raised taxes, the Ionian Greeks got mad and revolted Athens backed them up Persians crushed the revolts

Who was fighting and where?

Major Battles 1. Battle of Marathon: Athens leads the defense; Sparta stays out of it Persia – 25,000 soldiers Greeks – 10,000 soldiers Phalanx battle formation gave the Greeks the victory 6,400 Persians died 192 Greeks died

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTxNg9Hi6J8

He wore a bronze helmet with a tall crest on his head. A Greek foot soldier was called a hoplite. His shield was a hopla. Get it? He wore a linen shirt with metal armour plates on the shoulders. A bronze breastplate covered his chest and stomach, and greaves (shin guards) covered his legs. He wore a bronze helmet with a tall crest on his head. The hoplite carried a shield and a spear. Around his waist was a belt with a short sword. Hoplites fought in close formation called the phalanx. Greek soldiers had to pay for their own armour and weapons.  If you could not afford to buy armour and weapons you could still serve in the army as a stone-thrower or archer. http://www.gridclub.com http://www.educate.org.uk/

Hoplites carried 16-foot long spears Hoplites carried 16-foot long spears. The first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rows of hoplites lowered their spears all at the same time. As soldiers fell, those in the rear ranks moved forward. Think porcupine!

Phalanx Formation Mr. Dixon

Spear Padded Jacket Quiver of arrows Bow A Persian Soldier – the cloth armour was not much use against the Greek phalanx! Spear Padded Jacket Quiver of arrows Bow A modern drawing of a Persian soldier from Investigating History, Ancient Greece by Peter Kent and Sue Cosson (ISBN 0-7501-0393-0)

Pheidippides Ran to Athens from Marathon in his armor = 26.2 miles Told them of the victory Died after giving the news * This is why marathons are now 26.2 miles!

Which factor do you think explains why the Greeks won the battle of Marathon? A. They were joined together as allies. B. They had better fighting equipment. C. They knew the geography of the area. D. They used clever military strategy.

The Persian Wars, Pt. 2 10 years later Xerxes, son of Darius vowed revenge. Brought between 100,000-300,000 troops to a narrow mountain pass

Battle at Thermopylae 3,300 Greeks led by the Spartans held them off at a narrow pass in Thermopylae. A traitor told Persians of another way around. Many Greeks retreat but 300 Spartans stood strong. They all died.

What factor do you think best explains why the Persians won the battle of Thermopylae? A. They were joined together as allies. B. They had better fighting equipment. C. They knew the geography of the area. D. They used clever military strategy.

Mr. Dixon

Mr. Dixon

Battle at Salamis Athens is evacuated and now fights at sea (ships = walls of wood) Athenians have a powerful navy Greeks fight with new ships called a trireme. Triremes punch holes in Persian ships and sink a third of them.

Trireme Mr. Dixon is steering!

Which factor do you think explains why the Greeks won the battle of Salamis? A. They were joined together as allies. B. They had better fighting equipment. C. They knew the geography of the area. D. They used clever military strategy.

Battle of Plataea While Athens crushes the Persians at sea, Spartans are on the plain of Plataea and crush the rest of the Persian army. Xerxes retreats.

What factor do you think best explains why the Greeks won the battle of Plataea? A. They were joined together as allies. B. They had better fighting equipment. C. They knew the geography of the area. D. They used clever military strategy.

Battle Summary: Greeks 3 – Persians 3 Winner Ionia (Asia Minor) Persia Eretria (Greece) Marathon (Greece) Greece Thermopylae (Greece) Salamis (Aegean Sea) Plataea (Greece)

Effects of the Persian Wars Greece victory creates a sense of unity. Athens has control of what is left of Greece through leadership of the Delian League. Delian League – an agreement that the remaining Greek city states would help each other.

Effects of the Persian Wars This control of the Delian League and Athens acting like she ran Greece leads directly to the third series of wars fought by Greeks during this period: the Peloponnesian Wars Peloponnesus – the Greek peninsula; hence, the name Peloponnesian Wars.