Ancient Greece

1
Ancient Greece

• The Peloponnesian and Persian Wars

2
Where is Persia?

• Persia -strong empire in SW Asia.
• Present day Turkey and northern Tigris-Euphrates
  River Valley.

http//edsitement.neh.gov/lesson_images/EvalGraphi
cs/PersianEmpire03.jpg
3
Tensions with the Persians

• 545 BC King Cyrus of Persia takes over Greek
  colonies in Asia Minor and on the Aegean.
• 500 BC Greeks in Miletus fed up and rebel.
• The Greeks ask Athens for help.
• Athens sends ships and soldiers to help fight the
  Persians.

4
The Persians Mean Business Now

• Persian leader, Darius, crushes rebellion and
  punishes Athenians for helping.
• 490 BC invades Greece by landing at Marathon.
• 1st major battle Athenians are greatly
  outnumbered.

http//www.maitlandtoysoldiershoppe.com/products/i
mages/grenadastudios/g174-3.jpg
5
Athens Wins!!

• Although outnumbered, the Athenians kill 6,400
  Persians while only losing 192 Athenians.
• One of their heroes was Phidippides, he ran
  approximately 150 miles in two days to get help
  from the Spartans. True Story!

6
http//www.e-grammes.gr/maps/persian_wars.jpg
7
The Legend of Pheidippides

• After Battle of Marathon, Pheidippides took the
  news 26 miles back to Athens.
• 26 miles Marathon
• While running he screamed, NIKE!
• NIKE Victory in Greek

8
The Persians Arent Finished

• After Battle at Marathon, Persians withdrew from
  Greece peace for 10 yrs.
• Dariuss son, Xerxes, wants to take over Greece
  and avenge his father.
• 480 BC 180,000 Persian soldiers backed by the
  navy invade Greece again.
• The Persians conquer northern Greece, but
  city-states unite to stop the Persians.

9
(No Transcript)
10
How did the Greeks win?

• After some terrible setbacks (Thermopylae, Athens
  is destroyed), the Greeks will lure the Persian
  navy into a narrow bay called Salamis.
• Greek ships rallied and crushed almost all of the
  Persian fleet.

11
Why the Persian Wars are Important?

• Persian wars united Athens and Sparta against the
  Persian Empire.
• Athenian victories over the Persians at Marathon
  and Salamis left Greeks in control of the Aegean
  Sea.
• Athens preserved its independence and continued
  innovations in government and culture.

12
Mr. Hannah, how do you know so much?

• We know so much about this war because of the
  writings of Herodotus, the father of history!

http//www.livius.org/he-hg/herodotus/herodotus.jp
g