Persian War
New Technology
-During the Dorian age, only the rich could really afford to buy the bronze weaponry adn armor.
-Iron later replaced bronze and allowed the common man to be able to arm himself and fight battles.
-Also a new formation was formed i battle called the phalanx (Spear in one hand, shield in the other).
Start of the Persian War
-War between Greece and Persian Empire.
-It first began in Ionia on the coast of Anatolia.
-Greeks were settled there but Persians conquered it around 546 BC.
-The Ionia Greeks rebolted.
--Athens sent soldiers to help in the revolt.
--Darius the Great defeated the revolt and then vowed to destroy Athens.
War Continues
-In 490 BC, the Persian fleet of 25,000 men landed in an area called Marathon.
-10,000 Athenians meet them there.
-After several hours of fighting
--Persians fled the battlefield.
--6,000 Persian lives were lost.
--200 or less Athenians lives were lost.
Why such a victory?
-The Athenians were using this new fighting formation called phalanx.
-The Persians were not well trained in this type of land fighting.
-The Persians also wore very light armor compared to that of the Athenians.
-Athenians were fighting on their homeland.
Marathon
-Even though Athenians had won, they left their city without much of an army.
-According to tradition, army leaders would send a runner to alert Athens of the battle.
-Pheidippides was that runner.
-He ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens. Then he died.
Persians tried to quickly attack Athens after their defeat at Marathon, but the Athenians had already returned, so they fled once again.
Ten years later
-Xerxes, Darius the Great's son, had become the successor of the Persian army.
-He brought an enormous army with him to complete the job that his father once vowed.
Greek Issues
-The Greeks were very divided on how to handle the Persian situation.
--Some city-states thought that they should fight them and defend their city of Athens.
--Some city-states thought it wasn't worth it, and they should just allow them to burn it.
--Some even fought with the Persians.
Famous Battle of Thermopylae
-A narrow mountain pass was the setting of this battle.
-7,000 Greeks and 300 Spartans stood in the way of Xerxes and his huge army on this push to get to Athens.
-Xerxes underestimated the Greeks and Spartans, however, they stood up for three days to them.
300
-A traitor went to Xerxes and informed him of a secret path around the pass.
-Fearing defeat, the Spartans fought the Persians so that the Greeks flee to fight another day.
-All 300 were killed including Leonidas.
Lasting Effects of Spartan Sacrifice
-Made a great impression on the Greeks.
-Allowed the remaining Greeks to retreat and fight the Persians again.
-Showed Xerxes what he was up against.
Battle of Salamis
-Greeks abandoned Athens, because they thought that fighting at sea was their best chance.
-They were right, Xerxes watched as 1/3 of this fleet was sunk. Truly diminishing his army.
Lasting Effects of the Persian War
-The Delian League was created. (An alliance of Greek city-states to continue to push the Persians out of all Greece).
-Athenians was the head of the league and moved the headquarters to Athens.
This gave the Athenians a lot of power and helped push them into their golden age.
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