Technology- Rich could only afford bronze weaponry and armor. Iron replaced bronze and was cheaper. Phalanx was a new formation of fighting. Spear in one hand shield in the other.
Start of Persian War- War between Greece(Sparta) and Persian empire. First began in Ionia on the coast of Anatolia. Persians conquered it around 546 BC. Ionian Greeks revolted- Athens sent soldiers to help in the revolt. Darius the Great- defeated the revolt and then vowed to destroy Athens.
War- 490BC Persians fleet of 25,000 men landed in area called Marathon. 10,000 Athenians met them there. After several hours Persians fled the battlefield, 6,000 Persians dead, 200 or less Athenians lives were lost
Athenians were using new fighting method phalanx. Persians were not well trained on this type of land, Persians wore very light armor. Athenians would fight for there home land.
Marathon- Athenians left the city with out much of an army. Runner alerted Athens of the battle. Pheidippides was that runner. He ran 26 miles from marathon to Athens. Persians tried to attack Athens after their defeat at marathon but Athens had already returned so they fled again.
Ten Years Later- Xerxes was Darius the greats son- had become the successor of the Persian army. He brought a big army to complete the job that his father once vowed
Greek Issues- They were very divided on how to handle the Persian situation. Some city states thought they should fight and defend Athens others thought they should burn it, some even fought with the Persians.
Famous battle of Thermopylae- Fought in a narrow mountain pass. 7,000 Greeks and 300 Spartans stood in the way of Xerxes on this push to get to Athens. Xerxes underestimated the Greeks and Spartans, and they stood defending for 3 days.
300- Traitor went to Xerxes informed him of a secret path around the pass. Spartans fought the Persians so that the Greeks could flee to fight another day. All 300 were killed including Leonidas.
Lasting Effects- Made a great impression on the Greeks. Allowed the remaining Greeks to retreat and fight the Persians again. Xerxes was showed what he was up against. Fortune and fear is what drove Persians.
Battle of Salamis- Greeks abandoned Athens, they thought fighting at sea was their best option. Xerxes watched a third of his fleet was sunk. diminishing his army
Lasting Effects of Persian war- 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 head quarters to Athens. This gave the Athenians a lot of power and helped push them into their golden age.
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