The Persian Empire

An Outsider Invader

Threatens the Greek

Mainland….

Hello… Sports Fans!

Read Section 1:

The Persian Empire

2. How did the Persians build

their empire?

• Persia started in southwestern Iran today.

2. How did the Persians build

their empire?

• They then conquered their neighbors by

using archers to surprise and stun their

opponents!

• They would then rush them with spears

before they could recover from their

shock!

Darius’s Infantry

(Persians)….

Greek HoplitesHoplite Definition: Ordinary citizens of Greece that were foot soldiers

Hoplites

• Regular foot soldiers were called hoplites

• They were named after the Hoplon (the large round shield that protects the soldier from the front).

Hoplon

A Phalanx

3. How did King Darius rule the

Persian Empire?

• Divided the land he conquered

into 20 provinces and

appointed an official to rule

each and report back to him.

• The official also collected

taxes

• The people were able to keep

their culture and religion

Darius’s Plan

• Does Darius’s plan sound

like anything you have

ever heard of before?

In 521 BCE Darius also created…

• Creates a professional

army!

4. What happened during the

Ionian Revolt?

• The Greek polis, Ionia, was

captured by the Persians

4. What happened during the

Ionian Revolt?

• Athens helped them revolt and

then left…leaving Ionia to fight

by itself

4. Why was it important?

• The revolt upset Persia and so

they asked for the surrender of

all Greece!

• Thus, the wars start!

“ If you want Greek earth and

water help yourself!”

And then ….

Battle of Marathon

In 490 BCE the Persians, under the control

of Darius, came to Greece and landed

outside of the plains of Marathon.

What the Persians didn’t realize was

that the Greeks were hiding behind a

hill. When the Persians went to re-

board their ship and sail on to Athens

1/3 of the hiding Greek army rushed

over the hill and started attacking the

Persians who were standing in the

water.

And then…

What really happened?

• The Persians had their best warriors on the ships. Once the Persians regained their composure and started to fight back the Greek ran for the hill. The Persians still in the water followed thinking it was a retreat. In truth 2/3 of the Greek army was waiting on the other side of the hill and demolished the Persians who followed. The remaining Persians sailed away.

• Greek Victory

VI. City-States Unite!

• Greek city states knew the

Persian threat was real.

• SO THEY UNITE TO FIGHT!

• Sparta sends foot soldiers

• Athens provides the navy

• Together they develop a

strategy to defeat the mighty

Persians!

The Battle of Thermopylae

After the loss at Marathon the Persians left the Greeks alone for 10 years. During that time the ruler Darius died and his son Xerxes took over. During these 10 years the Greeks united and Sparta and Athens, although not friends, realize they fight the best if they are together. Sparta with the help of Corinth takes 7,000 soldiers to the tight pass at Thermopylae to slow if not stop the advance of the Persians 200,000 soldiers from reaching Athens. This way Athens could get its naval ships out of port and ready to fight and the Persians wouldn’t be able to burn the Athenian ships. As the Persians walk through the small pass they were ambushed by the Greeks. After the initial ambush King Leonidas (Spartan) sends all of the Corinthians and the Spartan away. He keeps only the best 300 Spartans. In the next instance the 300 Spartans look up and the night is filled from the thousands of Persians arrows. A Spartan soldier says in response…..

And then…

What really happened?

• “We will fight in the shade!”

• The 300 Spartan soldiers will hold of the mighty Persian army until they are betrayed and a traitor shows the Persians a secret passage that enables them to surround the Greeks.

• The Spartans will lose but take 30,000 troops with them when they are killed three days later. This also allows the Athenians to successfully get their ships out of Athens in order to fight the Persian navy.

How will the Persian Army

get their supplies?

So what do the

Greeks have to

do??

The Battle of Salamis

The Battle of Thermopylae allowed the Athenians

to get their ships out of Athens and they were

ready to help attack the Persian supply ships

and the Persian navy. The Persians knew the

Athenians had gotten their ships away safely

and searched for them, exhausting themselves,

while the Athenians rested. When they did meet

the Athenians realized that their ships were

much smaller while the Persians had huge ships.

And then…

What really happened?

So the Athenians have to use their brain and their knowledge of the geography of Greece and trick the Persians into the Strait of Salamis

What is a strait?The Greeks will battle the Persians in the strait (David V. Goliath) The strait is so narrow the large Persians ships cannot move and the Greek ships slowly destroy the large Persian navy and they literally sail circles around them.

Burn Athens Burn!

• Persian Army marches on to

Athens after winning at

Thermopylae.

• When they get there they find

an abandoned city and burn

it down!

The Battle of Plataea

• In 479 BCE the Persians

marched to Athens and

found it abandoned. The

Persians burnt down Athens.

At the same time the rest of

the Greek poleis got together

and formed one massive

army. The unified Greek

army met up with Persian at

Plataea.

And then…

What really happened?

• With the largest Greek army ever

the Greek attacked the Persians

in hand to hand combat and

defeated the Persians.

• The Persians ran back to Turkey

(Asia Minor)

• By working together the Greeks

saved their homeland from

invasion

What does the Persian war

show us about teamwork?

Was anything really

accomplished from all the

battles and death of the

Persian War?

Persians Vs. Greeks

What happens when two

cultures meet and want

the same resources?

Answer this

question in

your passport

for homework.

The Persian Army

Greeks weaken the Persian Empire

and the Persians flee across the

sea, but they keep their area in

Asia Minor and the Greek city-state

involved!

Is the War over??

Athens wants to follow the

Persians and take back all

of Greece

Sparta wants to just keep

what Greece has & they

are afraid of Athens’ new

found power!!!

The Delian League •Persia is still a threat!!!!!

•150 city-states meet (all but Sparta)

•Bind themselves to Athens

•Follow their leadership

•Pay money and military items

•In return Athens gives them

•Continuing protection from Persia

Pericles

The founder of the Delian League

&

Leader of Athens