Persian Wars Q & A
What happened at the Battle of Salamis?
ATHENIAN NAVY LEADER, THEMISTOCLES, WANTED TO FIGHT THE PERSIAN NAVY IN THE NARROW CHANNELS BETWEEN THE ISLAND AND MAINLAND. HE SET A TRAP FOR THE PERSIANS A SLAVE DELIVERED A MESSAGE THEMISTOCLES WANTED TO SWITCH SIDES AND JOIN THE PERSIAN ARMY. IF XERXES ATTACKED NOW, 1/2 THE GREEK SAILORS WOULD SURRENDER. XERXES FELL FOR TRICK AND ORDERED HIS SHIPS TO ENTER THE NARROW WATER WAY BETWEEN SALAMIS AND THE MAINLAND TO ATTACK. AS THE PERSIAN APPROACHED, THE GREEK SHIPS SEEM TO RETREAT. ANOTHER TRICK, TO DRAW THE PERSIANS FARTHER INTO THE CHANNEL. SOON THE GREEKS HAD THEM SURROUNDED. THE GREEK SHIPS HAD WOODEN RAMS AT THE FRONT THAT THEY USED TO CRUSH THE HULLS AND SUNK 300 SHIPS. THE GREEKS WON.
What fact best explains why the Greeks won the Battle of Marathon?
They used a clever military strategy.
Why was it important that the Greeks won the Persian wars?
-preserved the Greeks' independence -kept Persia from conquering all of Europe
How did King Darius rule the Persian Empire?(4 reasons)
-the empire was divided into 20 provinces known as Satrapies -established a tax-collection system -appointed officials to rule local areas -allowed the conquered to keep their own customs and religions.
How did the Persians build their empire?(2 reasons)
-they build their large empire by conquering their neighbors -Persian archers won many battles by shooting a storm of arrows before their enemies were close enough to use their lances or spears
Describe the military strategy used at Battle of Marathon?
1The center portion of the army advanced first, encouraging the Persians to come forward to meet them. 2Next, as the Persians moved forward, the left and right sides came around them and attacked from the sides as well.
What happened during the Ionian Revolt, and why was it important?
After being defeatd by the Persians, the Ionians KNEW THEY COULD NOT DEFEAT THE PERSIANS THEMSELVES, SO THEY ASKED THE MAINLAND GREECE FOR HELP. ATHENS CAME HELPED AND LEFT AFTER INITIAL SUCCESS. THE IONIAN ARMY FOUGHT AND LOST AGAIN IN 493 BCE. THEY WERE PUNISHED FOR REBELLING. THE PERSIANS DESTROYED THE CITY AND SOLD PEOPLE INTO SLAVERY. THE PERSIANS WON.
What happened at the Battle of Plataea?
THE ATHENIANS DECLARED THEIR COMMON BROTHERHOOD WITH THE GREEKS. THEY WOULD FIGHT. LED BY THE SPARTANS, THE 80,000 GREEK TROOPS DESTROYED THE PERSIAN ARMY OUTSIDE THE TOWN OF PLATAEA IN 479 BCE. THE THREAT OF THE PERSIAN EMPIRE WAS OVER. THE GREEKS WON.
What happened at the battle of Marathon?
THE GREEK GENERAL, MILTIADES, AFTER MUCH HESITATION, STARTED WITH MEN IN THE CENTER MOVING FORWARD AND HAD SOLDIERS COME AROUND THE SIDES ALSO TO ATTACK. THE PERSIANS WENT RUNNING FOR THEIR SHIPS. THEN THE GREEKS MARCHED BACK TO ATHENS TO DEFEND THE CITY AGAINST THE CAVALRY. THE GREEKS, ATHENIANS WON!!!
What happened at the Battle of Thermopylae?
THE SPARTAN KING, LEONIDAS, WOULD TRY TO STOP THE PERSIAN ARMY. LEONIDAS CHOSE TO MAKE THEIR STAND AT THERMOPYLAE. THE PERSIAN ARMY WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A NARROW PASS BETWEEN MOUNTAINS AND THE SEA. LEONIDAS HAD 6-7000 SOLDIERS TO 180,000 PERSIANS. WHEN THE PERSIAN TRIED TO GET THROUGH THE PASS THE GREEKS PUSHED THEM BACK. ONLY FROM A GREEK TRAITOR TO TELL THEM A SECRET PATH THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS. THE PATH WOULD ALLOW THE PERSIANS TO ATTACK THE GREEKS FROM THE FRONT AND THE REAR AT THE SAME TIME. LEONIDAS KNEW HE COULD ONLY DELAY THE PERSIANS, HE ORDERED ALL BUT 300 TO ESCAPE. THE 300 SPARTANS FOUGHT TIL THE END EVEN WITH BROKEN WEAPONS USING THEIR HANDS. THE GREEKS NEVER FORGOT THEIR BRAVERY. PERSIA WON.
What factors influenced the outcome of the Persian Wars?
The Persian under estimated the will and strength of the Greek. They did not give them credit for having any ideas or abilities of strategy, or smart leaders. They were also not very familiar with the geography of the Greek land.
What is the best factor that explains why the Persians won the battle of Thermopylae?
They knew the geography of the area. A Spartan traitor showed the Persians a secret path through the mountains The path allowed them to attack the Spartan (Greeks) from the front and the rear at the same time.
What is the best factor the explains why the Greeks won the Battle of Salamis?
They knew the geography of the area. They wanted to fight the Persian navy in the narrow channels between the islands and mainland. The Persians were trapped and the hull of 300 ships were crushed by the wooden rams at the front of the Greek ships.
