1. Section 3 (continued)
The Persian Wars

2. Persia – Cyrus II
559 B.C. – Persian King, Cyrus the Great begins conquest of Mesopotamia

4. 545 B.C. – Persia conquers Ionia

5. Ionia

6. 539 B.C. – conquers Babylon
538 B.C. – occupies Jerusalem
530 B.C. – Cyrus is killed in battle
521 B.C. – Darius takes throne

7. Persia under Darius 520 B.C. – commissions a canal to Nile to Red Sea
520 B.C. - Ionians revolt but are suppressed
499 B.C. – Ionians revolt again

10. Ionian Revolt Against Persia
Ionians request help from Greek city-states
Athens and Eretria sent a few warships to help
After 5 years, Ionians were defeated

11. Darius was angry
with Athens for
helping!

12. Persians Attack “Greece”
490 B.C. – Darius sends 600 ships and a well-equipped army to Greece
Persians landed at Plain of Marathon
26 miles NE of Athens

14. The Battle of Marathon
After several days, Persians decide to sail directly to Athens
As soon as Persians boarded ships, Greeks ran down hills around Marathon
Persians caught off-guard and were defeated

15. Importance of the Battle of Marathon
Gave Greeks a great sense of confidence!

16. After the Battle of Marathon
Silver mines were found near Athens
Athenians built triremes (warships with three levels of rowers on each side, one above the other)
Athens soon had largest Navy in “Greece”

17. Hellenic League 481 B.C. - Athens & Sparta
(and other city-states- 20) formed Hellenic League
Athens was prepared if Persia decided to attack again
Athens led Navy
Sparta led army

18. Second Persian War
480 B.C. – Xerxes (Darius’ son) sent 250,000 soldiers and conquered northern Greece
Battled Greeks at Thermopylae

19. Battle of Thermopylae
7,000 Greek soldiers held off Persian Army for three days
Allowed enough time for Athens to flee to island of Salamis
Greeks withdrew

20. 300 Spartans and 700 other Greeks stayed behind but were betrayed and killed
Persians reached Athens, found it deserted, set it on fire
Persian fleet was tricked into sailing between the strait between Athens and Salamis

22. Strait was narrow; only a few ships could pass at a time
Large Persian ships could not maneuver in strait
483 Greek ships attacked
Greeks defeated Persian fleet

23. Battle of Plateau Xerxes returned to Asia
479 B.C. Persians attack again at Battle of Plateau
Persian general is killed
Persian fleet is destroyed