The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars (490-404 BC) PDF

The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars 490-404 BC The Persian Empires Founded by Cyrus the Great Built largest empire in the world Predominantly Zoroastrian but practice religious tolerance Darius I seizes throne in 522 BC Expands empire into Greece, Egypt and central Europe Sparta Lo...

The Persian and Peloponnesian Wars 490-404 BC The Persian Empires Founded by Cyrus the Great Built largest empire in the world Predominantly Zoroastrian but practice religious tolerance Darius I seizes throne in 522 BC Expands empire into Greece, Egypt and central Europe Sparta Located in SE Peloponnese Militaristic society Huge population of enslaved “helots” Leaders of the Peloponnesian League Athens Democratic form of government Greater appreciate for arts and culture Few rights for women Leader of the Delian League Background to War Ionian Greeks rebelled against Persia to gain independence Athens sent aid to help the Ionian Greeks Persia defeated the Ionian rebels and wanted revenge on Athens for interfering 1st Persian Invasion Darius assembled an army of 20,000 to invade Greece in 490 BC The Persian fleet landed at Marathon, about 25 miles from Athens The outnumbered Athenians defeated the Persians at the Battle of Marathon https://www.youtube.com/watc h?v=B9dhvsW8oFI Aftermath Pheidippides running from Marathon Darius dies and his son Xerxes takes power in Persia Xerxes begins planning an invasion of Greece to avenge their defeat Xerxes set out in the spring of 480 BC with supposedly the largest army ever assembled 2nd Persian Invasion Xerxes takes power in Persia massive army crossed the Hellespont into Europe from Asia An alliance of city states forms to defend Greece Athens builds a massive navy Xerxes route would require the army to travel through a narrow pass at Thermopylae Spartan King Leonidas and 300 elite warriors volunteer to meet them there Thermopylae Leonidas and the Spartans hold off the Persians for 7 days ○ Eventually they are all killed Gives the Greeks time to prepare for the invasion Salamis Athens was evacuated and sacked by the Persians Athenians engaged the Persian navy at sea The Athenian navy is victorious Plataea In 479 BC, Athenian and Spartan hoplites defeat the Persian army Xerxes is forced to retreat back to Persia Effects of the War Sparta was weakened Athens emerges as the most powerful city-state Athens creates Delian League and builds an empire Athens rebuilds better than ever and experiences a Golden Age Peloponnesian War Tensions develop between Athens and Sparta War breaks out in 431 BC between the Delian League and Peloponnesian League A plague struck Athens, weakening it Fighting is off and on until 404 BC Athens attempted to help an ally on Sicily Attack the city of Syracuse but lost and Sparta retaliated Peloponnesian War In 405 BC, the Spartan general Lysander defeated the Athenian fleet in battle The people in the city of Athens began to starve They did not have the army to take on the Spartans on land and surrendered Aftermath Sparta took over the Athenian empire and kept all of its tribute revenues Athens was ruled by the “Thirty Tyrants” and democracy was suspended Eventually oligarchs overthrown and democracy returned Philip II of Macedon conquered all of Greece except Sparta Peloponnesian War