The Persian Wars Flashcards
what occurred at the same as the emergence of the Persian Empire
The political transformation of Greek Poleis
the Persian empire was the _____ of all greek empires
Largest
How do we know about Persian History
no Persian literature survived so we got information from non-persian sources
Such as
writing of babylonian, aramaid, hebrew and greek historians, to whom the persians were seen as barbarians
the Persians are an indo European people who settled in ______ - ______ ______
south-west iran
Before Darius, who governed Persia?
Cyrus
what did Cyrus change/create
- made the first satrapies
- extended Persia’s territory to include all of western Asia minor
- the conquest of the Lydian kingdom of croesus; brought asian Minor Greeks to empire
Who came between Cyrus and Darius as the Persian leader
Cyrus’s son Camyses who conquered Egypt, then Darius
What did Cyrus do that redefined greek history
His conquest of the Lydian kingdom of Croesus lead to the confrontation between the Persians and the European Greeks which would redefine the course of Greek history
who was “the great king”
darius
what was Darius seen in such a positive light?
He was praised as a benevolent and talented ruler who avoided the Assyian and Babylonian practice of deporting rebellious populations and supported local religions and cultures
Darius created a _______ city, and ________ religion, bounding the people together
He created a centralized city, and monotheistic religion, bounding the people together
Darius ________ the empire which helped ensure its survival for _____ years
He reorganized the empire which helped ensure its survival for almost 200 years
what are satrapies
provinces of the persian empire
name Darius’ accomplishments
centralized govvy
began construction of the great ceremonial center of Persepolis
facilitated commercial travel
minted his own silver and gold coins
divided empire into 20 satrapies
why did darius create silver and gold coins
to publicize his power
under darius’ rule how were his reconstructed satrapies governed and what did the people have to do
governed by royal appointees
pat annual tribute to king
explain the “eyes and ears of the king”
spies for Darius whose job was to discourage rebellion
king Darius implemented forced ______ and ______ service
forced labor and military service
under Darius’ rule, _________ bound the people together
zoroastrianism
(a persian religion)
what did darius allow his people to do that was so innovative?
allowed them to worship their own gods and speak their own language
King Dairus stood for __________ the god of light, and defended his subjects against _________ the god of darkness
King stood for Zoroastrian the god of light, and defended his subjects against Ahriman the god of darkness
King had absolute authority over subjects, who were considered as Greeks as his slaves, but were grateful for their ___________
King had absolute authority over subjects, who were considered as Greeks as his slaves, but were grateful for their liberation
In the war between Greece and Persia, Darius campaigned against who
the European Sythians
_____ was the first Persian king to enter Europe
Darius
Darius didnt get Synthia but made ______ a satrapy
Thrace
the Assyrian empire demanded what from the surrounding cultures
Demanded tributes from surrounding cultures or else they would be tortured
what lead Darius to come into contact with the Greeks
His westward expedition made him curious of the mainland and thus lead him into contact with Greece
In 499Bc the Ionian Greeks revolted due to discontent of the ______ ______ under the Persian rule, and the _______ ________ the Persians had imposed
In 499Bc the Ionian Greeks revolted due to discontent of the high taxes under the Persian rule, and the puppet tyrants the Persians had imposed
Aristagoras, tyrant of Miletus borrowed a large amount of money from the king.
what series of events occurred after this
Borrowed money from the King and could not repay debt
Started a revolt with the Greek poleis in Ionia
Spartans said fuck no to helping the tyrant
Athenians said yes to helping, sent 20 ships (6k men)
Another polis sent 5 ships
6 years later revolt ended in a major naval defeat
Persians took back Ionia because they were treated like slaves
Persians took back Ionia 6 years after the Ionian revolt because…..
because they were treated like slaves
What was Darius’ invasion of greece inspired by
the desire to avenge the burning of Sardis
his primary goal as to punish Athens and Eretria fro their role in the Ionian rebellion
who lead the expedition in 492 BC to subdue the greeks before Darius’s invasion of Greece?
who did he manage to conquer before his fleet was wrecked
his son-in-law Mardonius
he conquered Thrace, Thasos, and Macedonia
what stopped the fist Persian invasion of the Greeks
(before Darius invaded)
storms and wind destroyed his fleet
2 years after the first Persian invasion of Greece, what did Darius do?
sent another expedition across the Agean sea
who were the only two who still opposed Persia
(during Darius’ invasion of Greece)
Sparta and Athens
during the battle of marathon who was outnumbered?
The athenians were outnumbered 2-1, but their hoplites were more heavily armed
(battle of marathon)
The Athenians decided to attack _________, taking the persians ____ _________
attack immediately, taking the Persians by surprise
(battle of marathon)
How did Persia react to the first athenian attack
they fled to their ships
who won the battle of marathon and had less casualties
athenians
what is the meaning of Marathonomachoi
Marathonomachoi - the veterans of Marathon who enjoyed prestige in Athens as exemplars of traditional Athenian values
why did political leadership change after the battle of marathon
Themistocles urged Athenians to prepare as though the next invasion was imminent
what changed politically after the battle of marathon
there was a new need for military commanders
new method of selecting archons
strategoi became most prestigious Athenian officials
explain what strategoi is
commander of the greek army (general)
expain what ostracism is
A procedure to ensure there wouldn’t be any new tyrants
they could send one citizen away from 10 years each spring
was often those who tried to betray Athens for the Persians
explain what dokimasia is
an interrogation office-holders had to go through
who was themistocles
A politician that convinced Athenians to think that persians could come at any time
created a harbour
Themistocles argued for bulding 200 triremes to defend themselves and be prepared for an invasion
what is a trireme
light, maneuverable warship
3 levels of rowers
About 540 rowers
Beak at the front for ramming
what did Aristdes suggest to the Athenians
what happened to him
suggested sharing wealth among citizens
he was astricised
Athens was the motherland of ______
silver
who is Xerxes
darius’ son and successor
what did Xerxes do
built warships in large numbers and gathered an incredible invading force
during the invasion of Xerxes what was formed
the hellenistic league
what is the hellenistic league
an alliance of thirty-one states limited mainly to Athens and memebers of Peloponnesian League
all opposing Xerxes
while the Athenians were still constructing their warships, Xerxes’ heralds arrived in Greece seeking what
earth and water, and many states including Thessaly and Thebes
how many opposed Xerxes
Only a tiny minority of more than one thousand ppl actively opposed Xerxes and many fought for him
the Hellenistic league were _______ to resist the Persians during the invasion of Xerxes
discouraged
what happened during the battle of Thermopylae that helped the Persians
a trator betrayed the greeks, guiding the persians to a secret path encirciling the greeks
he was killed
in the battle of thermopylae
after being betrayed and learning the persians were on his ass, Leonidas dismissed the bulk of his soliders,
who stayed behind and what happened to them?
The Thebans, Thespians and 300 Spartans stayed behind to defend the pass and stall them as long as possible
On Xerxes’ orders the body of Leonidas was decapitated and impaled
how did the persians victory at thermoplylae benifit them in the battle of salamis
the persians victory at thermoplylae opened the road to athens and central greece
Themistocles sent a messenger to Xerexes urging him to what
(battle of salamis)
to occupy the narrows and block the escape from the greeks
who won the battle of salamis
the greeks won, persians lost
persians lost 200 ships and retreated to Asia
what happened to Xerxes forces at Plataea
(battle of Salamis)
they were destroyed by the largest greek army, Plateae
what happened around the same time as the greeks defeating the persian navy at Mycale
the Ionians were finally liberated, and the persian threat to greece ended
Athens created the Delian league, who did not join
sparta
what did members of the Delian league have to do? and what did this entail?
everyone had to contribute ships and money
they would use the ships to counter attack persian cities
everyone who is a member would get a share of the loot in proportion to their contributions
what were the 2 goals of the delian league
to get loot
to get revenge
the Delian league eventually became more ________
controlling
the delian league built military colonies called what
cleruchies
why did Athens start to make more Cleruchies
they said it was to ward off persian and pirate attacks but in reality it was to remain in control
when some members of the delian league want out, how does the delian league insist
they insist that poleis join, and everyone stays because they all benefit from their protection
who was Themistocles exiled by?
Cimon
what other war happened at the same time as persia’s invasion of greece
Carthage and greek cities of sicily
where Sicily faced attacks from the north african city of carthage
______ flourished in Sicily
tyrany
what tyrant took over sicily
gleon
who won the war between Catharge and Sicily
the greeks prevailed (sicily)
when the tyrant gleon died, what followed?
his empire died along with him
but greek security lived on
in sparta, what caused the helots to rise up
who did they ask for help
an earthquake
athens
the Spartans were so shocked by Athenian behavior that the Ephors did what
(when the athenians came to help them with the helots)
they sent the athenians home
how did the athenians react to the spartans being scandalized by them and sending them home
athenians were so upset they told the helots they would set up a cleruchy and give them land
what did athens build after Xerxes’ invasion
who proposed it
when was it built
the long walls - a key element of Athenian military strategy
themistocles suggested it
it was built right before athens went to war with sparta (the first peloponisian war)
how did Gleon celebrate his defeat of Sicily
Gleon celebrated his victory by dedicating a huge golden tripod and statue of Nike to Apollo at Dephi
