Wiki Page, B7: World Geography and Civilizations, term 1-1: The Persian Wars

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2013-10-21T10:39:24-06:00

In about 500 BC Greeks in Asia Minor rebelled against the Persians. Athens helped helped these city-states in their uprisings. This began a series of conflicts between Greece and Persia that lasted until 479 BC. These conflicts are known as the Persian Wars.

Persian ruler Darius easily crushed the Greek revolts in Asia Minor. However, he also wanted to punish Athens for helping the rebels. Darius hoped to gain control of the Greek mainland. In 492 BC his forces conquered Thrace and Macedonia. Two years later, the Persians invaded Greece itself. The Athenians, although outnumbered, defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. The Persians withdrew, and an uneasy peace lasted for 10 years.

In 480 BC Darius's son Xerxes led another huge Persian army and fleet against Greece. This time, several Greek city-states united to stop the Persians. The Persians had to advance through the narrow mountain pass of Thermopylae. A small force led by 300 Spartans met them there. The Greeks held the pass for three days. Then the Persians found another way through the mountains and surrounded the Greeks. The Spartans, although badly outnumbered, refused to surrender. Instead, they fought until they were all killed. The Spartans' courage at the Battle of Thermopylae brought the other city-states time to prepare their forces.

The Persians then marched towards Athens. Themistocles, Athens's leader, told the Athenians to leave the city and escape. Xerxes's army entered Athens and destroyed it. However, Themistocles tricked Xerxes into attacking the Athenian fleet in the narrow Salamis Strait. The Persian navy was larger than the Greek navy, but the Greek ships were more maneuverable. In the narrow waters of the strait, the Greeks sank much of the Persian fleet. In 479 BC the Athenians and Spartans joined forces to defeat the Persians at Plataea, northwest of Athens. This ended the Persian Wars.