Greco-Persian Wars

Intermezzo

*487 BC*~Voting by lot in Athens *486 BC*~Persian King Darius Dies *483 BC*~Athenian Silver Strike-Laurum -Athenians Decide! -*483-480 BC*~Athenians double the size of their Naval Fleet from 100 Ships to 200 Ships -Athenians build Piraeus (Port)

Greek Colonies

-*544-499 BC*~Persians in control of Greek Colonies on Asia Minor -Persian taxation on Greek Colonists -Persians install Puppet Greek Tyrants to police the State and Collect Taxes

Pythia

-*Oracle* -Was asked by Croesus, King of Lydia, what would happen if he crossed the Halys River -She told him that he would destroy a great kingdom -She meant his own kingdom -Lydia was wiped out

Barbaroi

-*Those who do not speak Greek* -The Greeks referred to non-greeks as this

Triremes

-Ancient Battleships -Made of Timber (Expensive) -3 Tiers of Rowers -170 Rowers -Ram made of Iron or Bronze -120 Feet Long, 20 Feet Wide -Had Sails (Not used during Combat) -20-30 Marines -Rower's Pay=1 Drachma per day

Themistocles

-Becomes a Strategos -Most prominent Politician -Responsible for persuading the Athenian People to donate money and add Ships to their Army

Persians

-Enemies of the Greeks -Iranians -Iran/Iraq: the center of their empire -*6th Century BC*/*599-530 BC*~Emerges as a powerful empire under the leadership of Cyrus the Great -The next 3 kings added enormous territory to the Empire from North Africa to Modern Day India

Hellenic League

-Formed in *481 BC* -Only 31 of the 600 City-States joined -Met in Corinth -Had 30,000-35,000 Soldiers -Selected

Aristagoras

-Led the Ionian Revolt against Persian Empire -With help from Athens, he attacked Sardis -Expelled Persian Puppet Tyrants *489 BC*~Burning of Sardis *495 BC*~Persians Crush Revolt at the Battle of Lade

Croesus (King of Lydia)

-No threats existed between *800-500 BC* (Archaic Age) -*Lydian King* decides to invade the Persian Empire -Asked the Oracle what would happen if he crossed the Halys River and she told him that he would destroy a great kingdom -She meant his own, not the Persians -Lydia was wiped out -This created the first contact between Persian Empire and the Greek Colonists of Asia Minor

After Marathon

-Proud moment for the Athenians -Persians attempt to sail around the coast to attack Athens -Athenians are waiting for the Persians -The Persians turn and head Home -*Intermezzo*: Break between combat between Greece and Persia

Ionian Revolt

-The Greek Colonists of Ionia, Revolt -Sparta didn't help them (too Far/too many Helots) -Athens helped by sending *20 Ships & 4000 Men* -The Greek Alliance burns Sardis~*489 BC* -The Temples of Sardis are Destroyed -Persians Swear Revenge

Battle of Marathon

-The Greeks picked a Strategic place for this battle to prevent Cavalry (Surrounded by Mountains, Bogs, and Rivers) -The Greeks blocked the Persians for 5 Days, letting them starve for a little while -The center Greek lines run at the Persians then Retreat Quickly -The Persians follow and are flanked by the Greek Right and Left Flanks -The Persians are Massacred -The Persians were good with Cavalry (Blocked by Landscape) and Archery (Blocked by Running)

Persia vs Greece

-The Persian empire was 50 times larger than Greece -The Persian population was 50 times larger than Greece -Greece still fought off Persia

2nd Invasion

-The Persians invaded Greece again ~Herotodus: 150,000 Persians ~Modern Scholars: 100,000 Persians -The Greeks weren't surprised

Hellespont

-Xerxes had a bridge created here between 482 and 481 BC -The bridge was made of 700 ships tied together with papyrus -2 Bridges were built ~One for the Soldiers ~One with walls for the Animals -It took 2 weeks to cross here rather than 2 years to go around