The War with Persia• As the Athenians

expanded, they came into conflict with the Persian Empire.– In 499BC, the Athenians

helped cities under Persian control revolt.

– These revolts fail, but the Persian king, Darius, vowed revenge.

• Seeking payback, Persians landed outside of the city of Marathon in 490BC.– Outnumbered Athenian

army defeats the Persians.• Pheidippides, ran the 26

miles from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news that the Athenians had won.

Athens prepares for more…• Athenian leader

Themistocles believed Persia would attack again. – Athens built the largest

navy in Greece, with 200 triremes!

• Darius died four years later (486BC), and Xerxes, the new Persian king, vowed revenge and planned to invade Greece again.

The Persian War Part II• In 480BC the Persians

invade Greece and head towards Athens.– 150,000 men, 700 naval

ships, and hundreds of supply ships.

• Athenians and Spartans put aside their differences and join forces.– In both of their best

interests.• At Thermopylae, 9,000

Greeks (including 300 Spartans) fight to hold off the Persian army.– Spartans are ultimately

defeated.

“Go tell the Spartans, thou who passest by,That here, obedient to their laws, we lie.”

The Persian War Part II• The Athenians

evacuate Athens and retreat to island of Salamis.– Persians sack

and burn Athens.

• In early 479BC the united Greek army defeats the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.

The Delian League• After defeating Persia, Athens

and Sparta form alliances to protect themselves from another Persian attack.

• Delian League– Athens and its

allies.

• Peloponnesian League– Sparta and its

allies.

Athenian Imperialism• Over time, Athens

began to abuse the other city-states in the Delian league…– Pericles used Delian

League money for Athenian building projects.

• Parthenon– Athens sacked and

burned smaller city-states that attempted to withdraw.

• Forced them to pay “tribute.”

– Claimed that the “Persian threat is always near…”

Peloponnesian War - Beginning• In 431 B.C., Corinth and

Megara are being threatened by Athens to join the Delian League.– Members of the

Peloponnesian League • Sparta sends a message to

Athens to “back down, or else…”

• Remember:– Athens = Strong

navy. – Sparta = Strong

army.What would you

do?

The exciting conclusion…• The Athenians, led by

Pericles, decide to stay within the walls of their city and rely on their navy.– The Spartans surround

the city.• Two years go by…

– A plague breaks out in the overly crowded city.

• 1/3 die, including Pericles.

• War lasts for another 25 years.– Finally, Athens

surrenders when its navy is destroyed in 405BC.