HI 207 exam lecture 13 Flashcards
First Greco-Persian War
The Greco-Persian Wars (also often called the Persian Wars) were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire and Greek city-states that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC.
o Situation in Ionia
Greeks in Ionia, a region on the western coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), revolted against Persian rule in 499 BCE. This revolt was fueled by resentment towards Persian rule and the tyrants they imposed on the Greek cities. The Ionian cities, with support from Athens and Eretria, initially gained some successes, including the burning of Sardis, the capital of the Persian satrapy of Lydia. However, the Persian forces eventually crushed the Ionian revolt, leading to the defeat of the Ionian League at the Battle of Lade in 494 BCE. The Ionian Revolt and the involvement of Athens and Eretria angered the Persian king Darius I.
Darius vowed to punish Athens and Eretria for their support of the rebels and to secure his empire’s stability.
o Battle of Marathon (490)
The Battle of Marathon, fought in 490 BCE during the first Greco-Persian War, saw Athenian and Plataean forces, led by Miltiades, decisively defeat a larger Persian army led by Datis and Artaphernes, halting the initial Persian invasion of Greece. The Athenian victory at Marathon inspired the modern marathon race, and the battle is considered a symbol of Greek courage and resistance.
II. Second Greco-Persian War (481-479)
The Second Greco-Persian War (481-479 BCE) saw King Xerxes of Persia lead a massive invasion of Greece, resulting in key battles like Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea, where Greek city-states united to defend their independence.
o Situation in Greece
During the Second Greco-Persian War (480-479 BCE), King Xerxes of Persia invaded Greece with a vast army, facing resistance from a coalition of Greek city-states led by Athens and Sparta, resulting in key battles like Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea, ultimately leading to a Greek victory and the end of Persian ambitions in Greece. Victory over the allied Greek states at the famous Battle of Thermopylae allowed the Persians to torch an evacuated Athens and overrun most of Greece.
o Thermopylae (480)
King Leonidas and his Spartan force, along with other Greek allies, chose to defend the narrow pass of Thermopylae, which limited the Persian army’s ability to maneuver. Xerxes, the Persian king, led a massive army into Greece, aiming to conquer the region. The Greek forces, despite being vastly outnumbered, held their ground for three days, inflicting heavy casualties on the Persian army. On the third day, a Greek traitor, Ephialtes, revealed a secret path that allowed the Persians to outflank the Greek position. After the main Greek army retreated, Leonidas and his remaining Spartans, along with some Thespians and Thebans, remained to make a final stand, knowing they would die. The Greeks were defeated but their heroic resistance allowed the rest to retreat and regroup.
o Salamis (480)
In 480 BCE, the Greeks defeated the Persian fleet off the island of Salamis in the largest naval battle ever fought in the ancient world. TThe Greek ships, heavier and sturdier, won by ramming the Persian ships, which were designed for greater maneuverability but lacked the open water they needed. The Greek victory proved to be the turning point in the war, as the Persian king, Xerxes, returned to Asia with his surviving ships and the majority of his land troops.
o Plataea (479)
The Greek army, under the Spartan Pausanius, assembled on hills near the Persian camp to confront them. At first neither side wanted to make a full-scale attack, but the Persian cavalry successfully raided Greek supply routes and blocked some of the springs that provided their water supply. Pausanius therefore decided on a night move to a new position near the Asopos River. This maneuver did not go as planned, and when dawn broke the Greek force was strung out and disorganized. Athenians massed on the left flank, the Spartans on the right, and a small mixed force in the center near Plataea itself. Mardonius saw his opportunity and attacked. This offensive gave the Greeks the chance they needed. This led to the persian general Mardonius’ death and the retreat of Persian soldiers.
III. Aftermath
Following the first Greco-Persian War, the Persian army retreated, and the Greeks, led by Athens, formed the Delian League to defend against future Persian attacks, leading to a period of Athenian dominance and cultural flourishing. Athens took the lead in the Delian League, using its naval power to control the Aegean Sea and exert influence over other Greek city-states.
o Delian League
The Delian League, formed in 478 BCE, was a confederation of Greek city-states led by Athens, initially aimed at continuing the fight against the Persian Empire and ensuring the security of the Aegean region. The league included around 150 to 330 member states, many of which were from Ionia and the Aegean islands. Members contributed ships or money (tribute) to the league’s treasury, which was used to maintain the naval fleet led by Athens. Over time, Athens used its leadership of the Delian League to consolidate power and expand its influence, eventually transforming the alliance into an Athenian empire.
o Pan-Hellenism
Panhellenism, meaning “all Greeks,” refers to the idea of a unified Greek identity and culture, emphasizing shared heritage and common values over regional differences. The Greeks’ resistance to the Persian invasions of the 5th century BCE, and the subsequent formation of the Delian League, further strengthened this sense of unity. These were athletic and artistic competitions open to all Greeks, further reinforcing the idea of a shared cultural identity like the Olympic games.
IV. Athens to 431
The long anticipated war between Athens and its allies and Sparta and its allies finally broke out in 431 BC.
Key Terms:
- Darius I (r. 522-486)
Darius I, also known as Darius the Great, was the third Persian King of the Achaemenid Empire, ruling from 522 to 486 BCE, during which time the Persian Empire reached its peak.
- Xerxes I (r. 486-465)
Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE), also known as Xerxes the Great, was the king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire, known for leading the second Persian invasion of Greece and his extensive building projects. Son of Darius I.
- Peloponnesian League
The Peloponnesian League was a military alliance of ancient Greek city-states, led by Sparta, formed in the 6th century BC to counter Athenian expansion and dominance, ultimately playing a key role in the Peloponnesian War. Including Corinth, Megara, and others.
- Themistocles (524-459)
was a prominent Athenian politician and general who played a crucial role in the Greek victory against the Persian invasion, particularly at the Battle of Salamis, and is known for his vision for a strong Athenian navy. He persuaded the Athenians to build a large fleet of triremes, which proved crucial in the Second Persian Invasion (480-479 BC). He commanded the Greek allied navy at the battles of Artemisium and Salamis in 480 BC, leading to a decisive Greek victory.
- The Long Walls
The Long Walls were a key element of Athenian military strategy, since they provided the city with a constant link to the sea and thwarted sieges conducted by land alone.
- Pericles (495-429)
Pericles (c. 495-429 BCE) was a prominent Athenian statesman, orator, and general who led Athens during its “Golden Age,” fostering the development of Athenian democracy and the Athenian empire, and oversaw the construction of the Acropolis, including the Parthenon. He transformed the Delian League, an alliance of Greek city-states, into an Athenian empire, solidifying Athens’ dominance. Pericles led Athens during the early years of the Peloponnesian War, initially employing a strategy of naval strength and avoiding direct confrontation with Sparta. Politics soon took priority over the arts for Pericles. In 461 B.C., he joined the reformer Ephialtes in organizing a vote in the popular assembly that stripped all remaining powers from the Areopagus, the old noble council. Pericles ushered in what is considered “radical democracy.” This meant that ordinary Athenian citizens were paid by the state to participate in public affairs.
- Delian League
The Delian League, formed in 478 BCE, was a confederation of Greek city-states led by Athens, initially aimed at continuing the fight against the Persian Empire and ensuring the security of the Aegean region.
