The Greco-Persian Wars5th Century BCE – 490-479 BCE

Key Concept

The Persians…

• Wealthy• Largest civilization at the time

VS. The Greeks

• Poor• Smaller population• Lacked unity – constantly engaged in disputes

with one another – city-states

And the winner…

• THE GREEKS!

Roots of War

• A group of Greek City-states were under the control of the Persians known to the Greeks as Ionia.

• The Ionian Greeks revolted against the Persians and found an ally with Athens on the Greek mainland

The Wars

• The Persians launched two wars in 10 years on the Greeks – wanted to punish the Greeks and destroy Athens

• The Greeks defeated the Persians both times – on land and sea

Impact

• Little impact on the Persian Empire since it was massive….but for the Greeks…

Impact of the wars on the Greeks

1. Source of pride2. Significance of the Battle of Marathon3. Sets up the modern world divide of East and

West:1. Western worldview in which Persia represented

Asia and despotism (absolute power, cruel and abusive) where Greece signified Europe and freedom

Greece BOOMS after wars

• Peak of Athenian Democracy– Poorer classes “rowed their way

to citizenship”• The Golden Age of Greek

Culture – the Parthenon, Greek Theater – Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides

• Socrates beginning career as a philosopher

Glory didn’t last

• Athens was made up of a group of thirty Greek city-states

• Athens wanted a dominant position – Imperialize – this led to a civil war

• Sparta took the lead• The Peloponnesian War – Athens was

defeated

Macedonian invasion

• The Greeks exhausted themselves, as a result, the Macedonians will take over Greece…

• The Conquest of Alexander the Great.