Ancient Greece(Greece and Persia) Lesson 3

Darius |

- Darius | ruled Persia from 522BC-486BC reorganized the government to make it more efficient -He divided the government into satrapies or provinces -Each satrapy was ruled by a governor called a SATRAP(meaning defender of the kingdom)

Effects of Zoroastrianism

- Zoroastrian teachings and prayers and hymn(sacred songs) were written down in a holy book -Because of Zoroastrianism the Persians began to view their monarchy as a sacred institution or role -Persian Kings believed that they ruled by the power of Ahura Mazda and were responsible to him alone. -After Darius's rule ended the Persians continued to practice the monotheistic religion of Zoroastrianism for centuries -The religion has about 200,000 followers today. Most of them live in South Asia.

The Rise of the Persians(while Athens was developing)

-About the time that the government in Athens was undergoing political changes the PERSIANS were building a powerful empire in SOUTHWEST ASIA -Persia is now located in present day southwestern Iran

The Legend of Marathon

-According to Greek legend a young messenger raced 25 miles from Marathon to Athens with news of the victory -When the runner reached Athens he cried out victory and then collapsed and died from exhaustion -Today's marathon races are named after the famous run and are just over 26 miles(41.8km) long

Expansion of the Persian empire after Cyrus death

-After Cyrus, other Persian rulers continued to expand the empire -Their armies took over Egypt, western India, and lands northeast of Greece -From west to east the Persian Empire stretched a distance of 3,000 miles.

The Decline of the Persian Empire

-After its losses in Greece, Persia faced many challenges -The Persian army was no longer strong enough to defend the entire empire -Also the Persian people grew unhappy with their government. -The kings taxed the people heavily to pay for magnificent palaces and other luxuries -Members of the royal family disagreed about who should rule.

The development of the Persian Empire

-After settling in the highlands of Persia they came under the control of OTHER PEOPLES -Then after a few years a dynasty of kings united and brought the Persians together into a POWERFUL KINGDOM. -(500BC)Cyrus the Great a talented king built a strong Persian army and creating an empire that became the largest in the world

The Persians seek revenge(later known as battle at Thermopylae) Preparing for war

-After their defeat at Marathon, the Persians vowed revenge against the Athenians -In 480BC a new Persian king named Xerxes invaded Greece with about 200,000 troops and thousands of warships and supply vessels -The Greek city-states banded together to fight the Persians, King Leonidas of Sparta supplied the most soldiers -Themistocles(leader) of Athens directed the Greek naval forces and devised a battle plan

Decline of the Persians and Alexander the Great

-As Persia weakened it became open to outside invaders and attacks -In the 300s BC Persia could not resist the invasion of an army led by a young and powerful ruler named Alexander the Great -he Persian Empire ended, and a new Greek empire emerged that extended beyond even Persia's boundaries.

Greek revolt against Persian rule in Anatolia

-As a result of the conquests Cyrus the Great made for the Persian empire, the Persian empire already controlled the Greek cities in Anatolia -In 499BC these Greeks in Anatolia revolted against their Persian rulers -the Athenians sent warships to help the rebels but the Persians crushed the uprising -The Persian king Darius was angry that the Athenians interfered with the revolt -He decided to punish the mainland Greeks for meddling in his empire

What occurred in 400sBC and differences between Greece and Persia

-As the 400s BC began the Persians were ready to expand into Europe. -However they clashed with the Greeks that had colonies in the Mediterranean Sea -Persian and Greek civilizations, government, and culture were very different -While the Persians obeyed an all powerful king the Greeks believed that citizens should choose their own rulers and government

Persian empire(effects of large empire)

-As the Persian Empire expanded its increasing size made it more difficult to manage.

Battle of Plataea

-At Plataea northwest of Athens the Greek army again faced the Persians -In numbers, the two sides were evenly matched. -Each fielded a force of about 100,000 men -This time however the Greeks defeated the Persian army -Fighting continued as the Greeks went on the defensive to free the city-states in Anatolia from Persian rule -Peace between the Greek allies and the Persians did not come until 449BC

Roles of the Satraps(governors of provinces in ancient Persia)

-Collected taxes -judged legal cases -managed the police -recruited soldiers for the Persian army

The expansion of the Persian Empire(conquering lands and Cyrus)

-During 540sBC Persian troops swept into neighboring lands -They brought Mesopotamia, Syria, Canaan, and the GREEK city-states of Anatolia under Persian rule. -King Cyrus held his growing empire together by treating conquered people FAIRLY. -He allowed them to keep their own languages, religions, and laws. -Cyrus decided that the Jews exiled to Babylon would be allowed to return to their homeland.

Persian characteristics

-Early Persians were warriors and cattle herders from the Grasslands of central Asia.

Herodotus

-Father of history -gave description of the battle at Thermopylae

Battle of Marathon

-In 490BC Darius sent a fleet of 600 ships and an army to invade Greece -The Persians landed at Marathon which was a plain about 25 miles(40km) northeast of Athens. -The Persians waited in Marathon for several days they expected the Greeks to come to Marathon and fight them -The Athenians didn't cme forward and attack. The Athenians only had 10,000 troops while the Persians had 20,000 soldiers

Cyrus the Great

-In 500BC a talented king named Cyrus the Great built a strong Persian army -With that army he began CREATING an empire that became the largest in the ancient world. (CYRUS CREATED THE PERSIAN EMPIRE)

Persian Army

-Persia maintained a full time paid professional army -In contrast the Greek army consisted of citizens only called to serve in times of war while the Persian army was full time -the best fighters in the Persian army were the 10,000 soldiers who were trained to guard the king -The Persian army were known as immortals because when a member died another soldier immediately took its place

Spartans and Persians Thermopylae

-Persians supplied the invaders with food -Themistocles wanted to attack the Persian ships and cut off the armies supplies -To do this the Greeks had to stop the Persian army from reaching Athens -Sparta's king Leonidas led 7,000 soldiers into battle that lasted three days -The Spartans bravery at Thermopylae was much celebrated

The event caused by Darius anger with the Athenians

-The Battle at Marathon

Battle of Thermopylae

-The Greeks however couldn't stop the Persians at Thermopylae -A traitor showed the Persians a trail leading around the Greek line, allowing the Persians to attack from behind -Leonidas of Sparta soon realized that his Greek army would be surrounded Leonidas dismissed most of his troops -He and 300 Spartans remained and fought to the death.(To prevent the Persians from traveling to Athens)

The introduction of Zoroastrianism

-The Persians at first worshipped many gods(polytheistic) -Then sometime in the 600s BC a religious teacher named Zoroaster preached and introduced a new monotheistic religion -Most Persians accepted this religion which was called Zoroastrianism

The Persians defeat at Salamis

-The Spartans courage at the battle of Thermopylae gave the Themistocles time to carry out his plan to attack Persian ships -The Athenian fleet of ships lured the Persian ships into the strait of Salamis -They thought this move would give them an advantage in battle -Themistocles believed that the heavy Persian ships would crowd together in the strait making them difficult to move

Greeks new Army

-The combined forces of the Greek city-states in 479BC formed their largest army yet -They had improved their fighting forces with better armor and weapons

The Royal Road

-To link their large empire and territory the Persians improved the network of roads begun from the Assyrians -The most important route, The Royal Road ran more than 1500miles(2400km) from Persian to Anatolia -Travelers could obtain food, water, and fresh horses at roadside stations along the route. -Using the Royal Road messengers cold travel from Persia to Anatolia in just 7 days, the same journey could have taken 3 months without the royal road

The Persians defeat at Salamis(2)

-Vigorous fighting took place between the two navies -The Greeks had fewer ships, but their boats were smaller and faster, and could outmaneuver the Persian ships. -The plan worked - The Greeks sank about 300 Persian ships and only lost 40 of their own ships -The Persian fleet was almost entirely destroyed. - Still, the Persian foot soldiers marched on to Athens. -Finding the city almost deserted, the Persians set it on fire.

Battle of Marathon (2)

-When their enemy(Athenians) refused to attack the Persians they decided to sail directly to Athens and attack it by sea. -The Persians began loading their ships with the strongest units cavalry(horses). -As soon as the Persian horseman were on the ships the Athenians charged down the hills and onto the plain of Marathon -The Athenians caught the Persian foot soldiers in the water out of formation -They were without any help of their cavalry -The Persians suffered a terrible defeat.

aspects of Zoroastrianism

-Zoroaster the individual who introduced the monotheistic religion taught that there was ONE supreme GOD -The deity or god was named Ahura Mazda(wise lord) -Ahura Mazda was the creator of all things and the leader of the forces of the good. -Zoroaster believed that evil existed in the world -People were free to choose between good and evil but at the end of time, goodness would be victorious.