The Persian Wars

The Persian Empire

Cyrus the Great

The Persian Empire

Cyrus the Great ~ The Rise of Persia (559 – 530 BCE)

• Led Persians in revolt against Medes (ca. 550 BCE)

• Conquered Babylonian Empire (539 BCE)

• Establishes the greatest empire in the world to date!

The Persian Empire

Cambyses ~ son of Cyrus (530 – 522 BCE)

• Conquers Egypt (525 BCE)

• A drunken lunatic?

Problem is…how to rule such a huge empire?

The Persian Empire

The Persian Empire

Darius I(also “the

Great”)

The Persian Empire

Darius I (“the Great”) ~ 522 – 486 BCE

• Organized empire’s provinces

• Kept provincial governors under control

• Maintained communication throughout empire

The Persian Empire

Darius I (“the Great”) ~ 521 – 485 BCE

• Policy of tolerance toward people’s customs and religions

• Kept local rulers in power

• Worked hard for economic prosperity

• King as divine

The Persian Wars

Main factors:

• Persian expansion into Western Asia Minor

• Athens holds land in this area, and is concerned about threats to its grain route

• Ionian Greeks revolt (499 BCE)

The First Persian War

Battle of Marathon (490 BCE)

The Persian Empire

Xerxes ~ 485 – 465 BCE

• Son of Darius

• Prepared huge fleetand army to punishthe Greeks

The Second Persian War

480 – 479 BCE

Greek League

Athenian leader Themistocles recommends building up navy

The Second Persian War

Important battles & events

• Crossing the Hellespont

• Battle of Thermopylae

• Athens is sacked & burned

• Battle of Salamis

• Battle of Plataea

The Second Persian War

The Persian Wars: Results

Greek pride, sense of accomplishment; country secure to continue its development

Expansion of Athenian power

Barrier between Greece & the Near East