1. Persian War 500-479 BC

2. Battle of Marathon (490): Between Greece & Persian Empire, ~Persia had control of lands & Greek civilians revolted ~ Athens sent ships &soldiers to their aid. Darius (Persia) defeated the rebels and vowed to destroy Athens ~Persians carried 25,000 men to land near Athens called Marathon. Greeks were waiting and the Persians fled *Greeks sent Pheidippides to run to Athens to bring the news of defeat and to prepare them for war (he collapsed and died after the news) WINNER: Greece

3. Battle of Thermopylae (480): Xerxes (Persia) sends troops to crush Athens. Greeks were divided some fought on the Persian side. The Greeks blocked the Persians at Thermopylae. ~A Greek informed the Persians of a secret passage & The Persians defeated Greeks WINNER: Persia

4. Battle of Salamis 480):The Greeks abandoned their cities and went out to sea and positioned their fleet in a narrow channel near the island of Salamis ~ A few miles SW of Athens after setting fire to Athens Xerxes sent his war ship to block both ends of the channel. ~The Persians could not turn around and the Greek ships w/battering rams sunk more than ½ the Persian fleet WINNER: Greeks

5. Battle of Platea (470): Greeks crushed the Persian army and always stays on the defensive WINNER: Greeks

6. Peloponnesian War 431 BC-404BC)

7.  Athens VS. Sparta  Athens: Navy Sparta: Army  Siege of Athens: Spartans marched into Athenian territory – Sparata burned the Athenian food supply. Athens was hit by a plaque killing 1/3 of the population  Athenian Navy Defeated – Athens sends 20,000 soldiers to the island of Sicily, Their plan was to destroy the city – state of Syracuse, one of Spartan’s wealthiest allies. Sparta Crush Athens AND THE WINNER is …… Sparta ~Athens lost its empire, power and wealth