Greek World (500-440 BC)

Greek World (500-440 BC)

• The HSC Committee uses precise language for questions, so syllabus familiarity is key

Syllabus Focus

• Chronological awareness of ancient Greece in the Mediterranean and Near East is important
• Understanding key regional powers and societal interactions is key

Persian Wars (Includes)

• Origins trace back to Persian imperialism and the Ionian Revolt
• The invasion of 490 BC involved the Battle of Marathon including Miltiades' role
• Inter-war included preparation and developments in both Persia and Greece
• Invasion of 480-479 BC had Battles of Thermopylae, Artemisium, Salamis, Plataea, and Mycale
• Themistocles, Leonidas, Pausanias, and Eurybiades played critical roles
• Greek victory hinged on specific causes

Development of Athens and the Athenian Empire

• The Delian League's origins, aims, organization, and activities culminated at the Battle of the Eurymedon River, featuring Cimon and Aristides
• Understanding the transformation of the Delian League is crucial
• Understanding the nature of Athenian imperialism and its relations with allies is important
• Key democratic developments such as the influence of the thetes, ostracism, and citizenship law are included

Athens and Sparta

• The impact of the Persian Wars must be taken into consideration
• The nature, composition, and activities of the Peloponnesian League along with Spartan responses are important

Chronological/Geographical Context

• Greece was known as Helles; its people, Hellenes.
• Greece, was mainly comprised of city-states (polis) dating back to the 5th century
• City-states were independent due to Greece's mountainous terrain for defence
• Athens experimented with democracy leading to transfer of Aristocratic power
• Developments in the Aegean Sea world had an impact on Greek world of the time
• Persia was the largest empire, expanding for 50+ years, absorbing islands/cities up to Aegean
• The wars had major consequences impacting hoplite warfare and naval power

Topography of Greece

• Impacted development due to mountains

Aftermath Points

• Athens established the Delian League naval and trading confederacy; Athens became League master within 20 years
• Athens became wealthy, attracting people
• Athenian democracy was tied to the navy/empire's growth
• The 5th century was the "golden age" of Greece i.e. Periclean time
• The Peloponnesian War (Athens vs. Sparta) developed from these elements, lasting from 431-404 BC

Athens

• Largest city-state; controlled Attica
• Athens due to proximity to the sea was Greece's major Navy - in 493 BC, Themistocles fortified Piraeus for natural harbours - became the base of the navy to protect the state
• Long Walls to Piraeus (12 km) prevented siege cutting fleet
• Athens transformed into world's first democracy - Cleisthenes 508/7 BC - economic/political reforms
• Ekklesia (assembly) -- Male citizens over 18 participated in Ekklesia - met 40x/yr to propose, debate, pass laws, elect officials.
• Boule -- A 500-member council chosen by lot ran finances and motions for Ekklesia
• Nine Archons -- ran day-to-day, elected 1 yr by Ekklesia but from rich
• Areopagus -- Made of ex-archons ensured law
• Ten Strategoi (Generals) -- In charge of army/navy per "Aristotle's Constitution"

Sparta

• The major land power in Greece with no large capital
• It was an agrarian society -- State owned land worked by state-owned slaves; citizens didn't work, but were allocated land
• Military had Full-time army with Spartiates trained in barracks that were superior
• Government was a mixture of monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy
• Two Kings - army/roads/religion
• Gerousia "Council of Elders" 2 kings with 28 elected noble citizens
• Five Ephors were elected citizens for a year to manage day-to-day

Persia

• Founded 550 BC Cyrus the Great - Achaemenid Empire; ancient world's largest - From Macedonia, Egypt to Indus River; 50 million population
• Cyrus died 530 BC -- Cambyses succeeded -- Darius I then succeeded
• Military had 10,000 Immortals - heavily armed with support from the Empire and Cavalry. By 6th century - navy construction

Persia Continued

• Ruled by absolute monarchy with satraps (local administrators) providing revenue and troops
• Achievements included 2,500 km highway, single language, postal system and co-opting locals made empire control vast

Persian Wars - Focus Areas

• Origins: Persian imperialism, Ionian Revolt
• 490 BC invasion: Battle of Marathon, Miltiades' role
• Inter-war period: Persia/Greece prep
• 480-479 BC invasion: Thermopylae, Artemisium etc
• Themistocles, Leonidas, Pausanias, and Eurybiades played crucial roles
• Greek victory causes

Ancient Sources of the Persian wars

• Per Chapter 11 - Pages 429-430

Persian Imperialism & Origins

• The Persian wars traced to the emergence of Persia and expansion in the 6th century
• Cyrus 550 BC expanded Persia
• Persian kings had constant expansion pushing east and west
• Cyrus took Media
• Cambyses took Egypt
• Darius gained Europe foothold
• Cyrus 556-546 BC conquered Media, Lydia. 539 BC Babylonian Empire. 525 took Egypt, 513 took Thrace with lonian Revolt in 499
• Persian campaigns Mardonius conquered Thracian, Macedonian - Datis/Atarphernes led Greek campaign at Marathon 490

Greek/Persian Paragraph Example

• Persian expansions resulted in the largest Empire controlling Macedonia, Egypt to the Indus River
• The kings all built to be better leading to 6th century expansion
• Cyrus found it 550BC by Cyrus allowed huge expansions with 50 million people or 10 times Greece of the time
• Further emperors e.g. Cambyses expand Egypt, Darius built royal roads
• There was an expedition to Europe 514 BC, that would divide into 20 sections

Ionian Revolt

• Ionia was the last frontier Between Persia & Mainland Greece that had become part of the Persian Empire when Cyrus conquered Lydia
• The Ionian had ties with Mainland Greece that had strong migrations towards to other areas such as Miletus, Ephesus and others
• When conquered Ionians would have citizens enslaved, navy taken and pay Persia taxes
• By 500 BC the discontent for domination had become widespread
• The revolt was seen as part of the Persian decision to make that invasion and it all began with the attack against the Island of Naxos

Ionian Revolt - Causes

• Internal Miletus island conflicts
• Aristagoras' plan for Naxos base to dominate Aegean
• Artaphernes led 200 triremes with Megabates to attack Naxos but was a failure

Ionian revolt - Progression

• The revolt was the force driving out the tyrants and to make the democracies
• Athens would send the 20 ships and Eritia had five
• The Ionian allies attacked Sardis but couldn't capture the Citadel
• Persians and Ephasis retreated and were hit.
• The Greeks didn't want have a constant thought so remember what the Athenians did
• The Persians could control the various areas after and much of the Ionian had an effect of what was to happen

The Impact of Mandronious

• Darius son in law Mandrious had the task of reclaiming places, and it's assembled a large fleet and moving the task
• The various others such the Aristopgers traveled had done this to create some of the best results because of the events created
• The results was a target from more places in order to understand what's so successful and what happened to the other people

Marathon Battlefield

Reasons for the invasion - Battle Marathon 490

• Greece must be punished for its support of lonia
• Darius wanted to conquer the Greek peninsula

Strategy during Battle of Marathon

• Envoys sent to request submission -> Athens / Sparta do not comply
• Persian Strategy by Darius -- Datis is given directive -- Attack Naxos- capture
• Thebes- Eritia(temples were burned),
• Army to the Bay of Marathon, near Athens

Result

Athenian Preparations

• Runner - Phidippides - requests Spartan aid → 225 k in 36 hrs
• Council of war → Miltiades convinces - Calliniachus & other generals to attack Persians @ Marathon instead of defending Athens.
• Foothills of MT Agrilities Barring → 1000 Plateans
• Defence of trees v → cavalry. Camp is then set up, Westside of the river

Battle Armies

• The Army numbers are high —- Athenian are 10,000, Plateans have 1,000
• The Persians are said to have 25,000 + 5,000 cavalry

Battle of Marathon - key considerations

• Make note of the points made by some key figures e.g. Make brief notes
• Use details around how it effects - Herodotus on the criticism

What was Used in the Battle of marathon

• It's about the Athenians we're working and what they were fighting for
• Mitiadtas had made many things important and was there to give credit
• Some places were used for the use and for the damage that would come, it's better for understand what the plans all where

Key aspects of the results at Marathon

• Athenian wins with 192 casualties and saved themselves while the Mitiades take control from a quick thought process

Consequences of the battle

• Both sides felt various problems relating to their areas based on how the greeks and Persians would impact the locations and also various other things

Consequences of Athens

• Marathon a huge morale Boost and a turning point
• Battle led to more democracy

Sparta during Battle

• The city examined the battlefield in preparations for the next attempt to invade Greece

Time line-Interwar period

• Periods of many battle results between places but one big step was the fact that the spartrancs couldn't be kept from joining or a certain area

Power struggles-Inter war periods

• Lots of political periods and wars effecting everything based on the times and also people

Why the invasion -Interwar period

Why would people not invade and what's the point of what's going on when things might fail

Persian Preparation - Invasion

• Words to study - Xerxes
• Bridges would have a huge impact because where built for the use
• People would use the Thimosticles method to plan everything out for various steps in the battle

Interwar period - Actions

• There were new developments on the various key steps to better create the right mind set and the right preparation
• Key steps are the plans made in persia and the set actions for things better than what happened

Reasons for Persia

• The battle of Thermopylae was key because Persians could beat others
• The Persians we're told that the gods would intervene and save for the battle

Lead up To battles at Salamis and Platsie

• Themistocles had hope as his plan was to let the various sides head into the battle for the smaller locations and also for more forces

Preparation for key areas of control

• Results or about why some results are good and why others had done to their locations due to why it wasn't going to be long since they were the area to be at

How the Persian fleet happened

• What does there fleet had the key of their use on the battle

Why the results were important for the win

• There various steps that is required and how to gain the knowledge on win then was the right course
• One huge help was themistocies that saved Greece and what he had prepared

Importance of the leaders and what there actions would bring

• Make the right plans for the area to be better for every purpose in the world

The main areas for studying points/details

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