The Persian Empire

The Persian Empire

XerxesBorn: 519 B.C. Birthplace: Persia Died: 465 B.C.

Cyrus the Great600-529 B.C.

DariusBorn: 521 BCDied: Oct-485 BCExecutive summary: King of Persia, 521-486 BC Father of Xerxes

Cyrus the Great• The founder of the Persian Empire• The First Achaemenid Persian Emperor• He expanded vastly and eventually

conquered most of southwest Asia and much of central Asia, From Egypt and the Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, to create the largest empire the world had yet seen.

• died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC

Cyrus the Great• The First charter of human rights.

The Ionian Revolt, 499• Ionian cities revolted against Persian rule; aided

by Athens • Revolt successful at first but eventually crushed

by Persians, who then turned to punishing the Athenians.

First Persian War, 490• 490, Persian Emperor Darius sent small fleet

across Aegean Sea to punish Athens • Landed at Marathon on coast of Attica • Athenian army won Battle of Marathon with

expert use of the hoplite phalanx • Persians left; stayed away for next 10 years.

• Second Persian War, 480-79 • 480, new Persian Emperor Xerxes sent much larger expedition under his

personal command across Hellespont into Greece • Greek alliance (Hellenic League) led by Spartan King Leonidas met Persian

force at narrow pass at Thermopylae in northern Greece • Battle of Thermopylae:

– Greeks held Persians off until they were betrayed and surrounded by the Persians– Leonidas sent the whole Greek army away except for 300 Spartans– They fought to the last man to delay the Persian advance

• Battle of Salamis– Themistocles, an Athenian strategos, convinced the Athenians to evacuate

Athens– Women and children went to mainland– Men took fleet of triremes to island of Salamis– Outnumbered Athenian fleet defeated Persian fleet at Battle of Salamis because

of the triremes’ superior speed and maneuverability • Most of the surviving Persians returned to Persia; small remnant defeated

by allied army of Athens and Sparta at hoplite Battle of Plataea, 479 • Athens then formed Delian League with Aegean islands to defend against

future Persian invasion