1. The Persian and Peloponnesian Conflicts
Sections 1 & 2

2. Greece v Persia
Although Ancient Greece was comprised of independent city-states, they were not entirely able to produce everything they needed for their citizens on their own.
To accomplish this, they depended on well managed network of trade routes to supply their citizens with everything they required.
So when one city-state was threated by an invasions from an outside civilization; it was in the best interest of the other city-states to come to their defense.

3. Cyrus the Great
One such outside civilization were the Persians from Southwest Asia, in Present day Iran.
Persia first came to power in the year 550 BC when a man named Cyrus, led a revolt against a group of people known as the Medes.
After defeating the Medes, Cyrus wasted little time Conquering most of Southwest Asia, Asia Minor (present day turkey), and Mesopotamia.

4. Cyrus the Great
Upon his death, in 529 BC, Cyrus had amassed the largest empire the world had ever seen.
He ruled his empire with his strong organized army and by allowing conquered peoples to continue to practice their beliefs and customs. Because of this practice of Tolerance few people ever tried to rebel against Cyrus.
Because of his great accomplishments, historians have given him the name, Cyrus the Great.

5. Cambyses
After Cyrus’ death, his son Cambyses became Emperor of Persia.
Cambyses continued his fathers legacy of conquest by conquering Egypt and adding to the Persian Empire.
Soon afterward, Cambyses was killed during a rebellion that erupted in Persia, leaving the empire without a leader.

6. Darius the First
Within for years of Cambyses’ death, a young and powerful prince named Darius the First, killed his rivals and took the throne for himself.
Darius’ first order of business was to improve the political structure of his Empire. He accomplished this by dividing his empire up into 20 districts and appointing each a governor, known as a satrap. Each one answered to him.
Darius also built an elaborate network of roads that helped improve communication and trade in his empire.

7. Darius the First
Like Cyrus and Cambyses, Darius wanted to continue to expand his empire.
However in 499 BC, conquered Greek city-states located in Asia minor rebelled against Persia.
Several city-states in the mainland of Greece sent soldiers and supplies to aide the rebellion.
Although Darius was able to defeat the insurrection, or rebellion, he swore vengeance on the Greeks who helped the revolting city- state.

8. Check For Understanding
Which king of Persia Led the revolt against the Medes?
Cyrus the Great
Which king of Persia was killed during a rebellion?
Cambyses
Which king of Persia reorganized the Persian Empire?
Darius I

9. First Persian Invasion
Darius first opportunity at vengeance, came almost a decade after the Greek rebellion, on a plain just outside of Athens known as Marathon.
Although greatly outnumbered, the army of Athens was able to defeat the Persians with superior weapons and tactics, or battle plan.
Legend has it, that immediately following the battle of Marathon, an Athenian messenger ran the 26 mile distance back to Athens to deliver the good news. Upon arriving he shouted ”Nike”, meaning victory, and then collapsed and died from exhaustion.

10. Second Persian Invasion
In 480 BC, about 10 years after Darius’ failed invasion of Greece, his son Xerxes I would again attempt to invade and Conquer the Greek people.
Although he initially appeared to be successful, winning a costly victory at Thermopylae Pass against the famed 300 Spartans, and burning much of Athens, his army was devastated beyond recovery at the battles of Plataea and Salamis.
Xerxes’ crippled army was forced to retreat back to Persia and would never again attempt to invade Greece.

11. Check for Understanding
Where was the first battle of the Persian war fought?
At Marathon
How far was it from the city of Athens?
26 miles

12. Sparta and Athens
Section 2

13. Athens and Sparta
In Ancient Greece the two most powerful city-states, could not be any more different.
Although both were powerful and influential, and considered military powerhouses the comparisons end there.

14. Sparta
In 600 BC, a slave revolt occurred in the city of Sparta, although it was quickly defeated, the leadership of the city decided to increase the role of the military in their society.
The importance of the military was so great that every aspect of society revolved around it.

15. Sparta
When babies were born in Sparta, they were inspected by the city officials. If the baby was unhealthy, they were cast out of the city and left to die.
Young healthily boys began military training at the age of seven.
Aside from their brutal physical training, the young boys also endured mental training as well.

16. Sparta
For example, the boys weren’t given new shoes or extra clothing, even in the winter.
They also were barely fed each day, instead they were allowed to supplement their diets by stealing from the market. However punishment for getting caught was a public flogging.
Men between the ages of 20 and 30 lived in military barracks, and only occasionally went home.
Men were expected to serve in the military until the age of 60.

17. Sparta Sparta was jointly ruled by two kings, who co-led the army.
However real political power in Sparta belonged to the elected officials.

18. Athens Sparta's chief rival in Greece was Athens.
Like the Spartans, the Athenians valued a strong Army, however their society was not built around their military.
The Athenians valued, education, thinking, and the arts just as much as the valued the military.

19. Athens
In contrast to Spartan boyhood, the physical training Athenian boys went though, although rigorous, was not nearly as harsh nor did it last as long.
Athenian men also did not have to serve in the Army their entire lives. Each man served two years in the military, and after this period of service were only required to serve during times of war.
Most Athenian boys received a basic education that included reading, writing, history and literature.
Boys from wealthy families had the opportunity to study subject such as philosophy, geometry, and astronomy.

20. Check for Understanding
Which city-state valued education more?
Athens
What subjects could wealthy Athenian boys study?
philosophy, geometry, and astronomy.

21. Delian Leauge
In 480 BC, at the end of the Persian wars, many Greek city-states formed alliances, or agreements to help defend another city- state if they were attacked.
One such Alliance was between Athens and several smaller city-states.
In this alliance, each city state agreed to pay a certain amount of money to pay for the defense of each city-state. It was agreed that the money would be stored on the Island of Delos, and be defended by the Athenian Navy.
Historians refer to this alliance as the Delian League.

22. Delian League
However, since Athens was the strongest member of the Delian League, it did not take them long to begin treating the other city-states like subjects rather than equal members of the alliance.
The Athenians used this money to fund building projects and improvements in Athens rather than be used for the defense of its members.
Many city-states threatened to leave the alliance, however Athens refused to let them leave.

23. Peloponnesian League
In Southern Greece, many city-states formed and alliance know as the Peloponnesian league.
Many Greeks, including the Spartans were concerned with the growing power of Athens.
Wanting to put an end to the abuse of power by the Athenians, the Spartans declare war on Athens.

24. The Peloponnesian War
In 431, Sparta marched north to Athens, to end their abuse of power.
When Sparta finally arrived outside the gates of the city, they began to destroy farmland and cut off their trade routes. However the powerful Athenian navy was able to bring supplies in from the sea to supply their people.
After 10 years, neither side could gain an advantage, and eventually agreed to a truce.

25. The Peloponnesian War
In 415 BC, the Athenian army and navy attempted to conquer the island of Sicily, which ended in complete disaster for the Athenians, crippling their military.
Seizing the opportunity, the Spartans again marched on Athens, this time effectively cutting of supplies to the city. Without the powerful Athenian navy to bring in supplies to the city, Athens was forced to surrender to Sparta in 404 BC.

26. Aftermath
The result of the Peloponnesian war made Sparta the single most powerful city-state in all of ancient Greece.
However their reign would only last 30 years before rival city-states challenged Sparta for power, resulting in years of civil war, making Greece an easy target for foreign invasion.

27. Review Time
Why did the conquered people of Cyrus the Great seldom rebel?
He allowed them to keep their customs
How did Darius I change Persia's political organization?
By dividing it into 20 provinces, each with a satrap to rule for Darius
Why did Persia want to invade Greece?
Because many Greek city-states were rebelling against the Persian Empire
What institution dominated life in Sparta?
The military
How long were men expected to serve in the Spartan army?
Men served in the military until they were 60 years of age.
Which city-state won the Peloponnesian War?
Sparta
Why did many city-states want to form an alliance against Athens?
Because Athens abused their power and treated fellow member of the Delian league as subjects.