Victory & Defeat in Victory & Defeat in the Greek Worldthe Greek World

Ch. 5, Section 3

“Earth and Water”

• In 492 B.C. King Darius I of Persia demanded “earth and water” from the Greek city-states.

• Athens and Sparta REFUSED!• Persians conquered the city-states of Ionia.• In 499 B.C. the Ionian Greeks revolted against

Persia. Athens (wealthiest Greek city-state) sent ships to Ionia to help them!

• King Darius I was furious at Athens. . .

PERSIA

The Persian Wars490 B.C.E. – 479 B.C.E.

Greek City-States vs. Persians (Ionia, Athens, etc.)

Reasons for War

Where is Greece? Where is Ionia?

                                                                                                                                                

Highlights of Persian WarsBattle of Marathon (490 B.C)• Persians crossed the Aegean Sea

and attacked the Athenians on a plain called Marathon outside of Athens

• Greeks outnumbered, but WON!

• Sent Pheidippides their fastest runner to carry home the news of victory!

• He sprinted 26.2 miles to Athens — “Rejoice, we conquer,” he gasped and then died!

• In honor of Pheidippides’ run, marathon runners still run 26.2 miles!

The Athenians used clever war tactics to win the Battle of Marathon including the use of hoplites manning phalanxes.

Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C)• King Darius I died, but his

son Xerxes took up the fight against Greece

• 300 Spartans and allies vs. 150,000 - 1 million Persians

• Spartans held their ground for 2 days guarding the narrow mountain pass of Thermopylae but were defeated by the Persians

• Persians marched south and burned down Athens but the city was empty

Statue of Spartan King Leonidas at

Thermopylae

Battle of Salamis 480 B.C.• Turning point in Persian War

• Greeks defeated Persians by sea under the guidance of General Themistocles

• Athenian warships drove into Persian boats with underwater battering rams

• After win at Salamis, the Greeks went on to defeat the Persians on land—End of War!

Effects of Persian Wars• Athens emerged as most powerful and

prosperous city-state in Greece• Athens organized the Delian League =

alliances with other city-states• Athens used its influence over other city-

states to build an Athenian Empire!• Many other Greek city-states resented Athens

and split from the Delian League• Sparta created the Peloponnesian League• Athenians great at sea, Sparta great on land!

Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.)

• Delian League v. Peloponnesian League

• Democracy (Athens) v. Oligarchy (Sparta)

• Athenians provided most of the ships and sailors and asked the other city-states to contribute money. Sparta feared this increase in Athenian power.

• Fought for 27 years to determine which city-state would control southern Greece.

Highlights of War• Athens faced a serious

geographic disadvantage!

• Sparta was located inland, so it could not be attacked by sea.

• Yet Sparta only had to march north to attack Athens by land.

• In 404 B.C. with the help of the Persian navy (longtime enemy), Spartans captured Athens.

Good Thought, Bad Result!• When Sparta invaded Athens, the Athenian leader Pericles allowed people from the surrounding countryside to move inside the city walls for protection.

• The overcrowded conditions soon led to disaster: a terrible plague broke out!

• 1/3 of the Athenian population (including Pericles) were killed.

• The Spartan victors stripped Athenians of their naval fleet and empire.

• However, Sparta rejected calls from its allies to destroy Athens (perhaps out of respect for Athen’s role in the Persian Wars).

Effects of Peloponnesian War• An end to Athenian domination of the

Greek world.

• More in-fighting occurred amongst Greek city-states, weakening them.

• Weakened Greek city states were easier to conquer later on by the Macedonians and Alexander the Great!