Valarie YoungAncient Greece2000 B.C.E. – 133 B.C.E.

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The Persian Wars: OverviewDespite their cultural ties, the Greek city-states were often in conflict with one another.

The threat of the powerful Persian empire united the Greek city-states.

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The Persian Wars: Overview

United, the city-states defeated the Persians and ended the threat of Persian invasions.

Persian prisoners

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The First Persian War 546 B.C

• Cause– Persian Empire

conquers Greek colonies in Ionia

• Response– Ionians refuse to pay

tribute and begin to rebel

– Secretly the Athenians send weapons & a ship to aide the rebellion

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The First Persian War 546 B.C• Result:

–Darius I of Persia crushes rebellion

– leaves Athens alone but… Greek vs. Persian

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The Second Persian War 490 BC• Cause

–Revenge for Athenian interference• “Master,

Remember the Athenians” every day a servant said that to King Darius!

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The Second Persian War 490 BC• Results

– Battle of Marathon• Outnumbered Greeks

defeat Persians• 6,400 Persians die!• Pheidippides carries

message of victory home to Athens 26 miles

• The distance of the marathon.

“Rejoice, we conquer.”Then he died.

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The Second Persian War 490 BC• Results

–build fleet of faster ships to prepare for another attack

–Athens asks other city-states to form an alliance (1st ever in Greek history)

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Third Persian War 480 B.C.• Cause

–Persians want revenge

–Come after Athens by land and by sea

Major Battles–Battle of

ThermopylaeLed by Spartan

King Leonidas6,000 Spartans vs.

200,000 PersiansAthens is burned

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Third Persian War 480 B.C.Major Battles–Strait of Salamis:

Naval Battle Persian fleet sunk -Forced toretreat!

–Battle of Plataea a year later final Persia forces defeated

Battle of Salamis

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Third Persian War: The Outcome!Results

• Athens increases its status among the city-states.

• Athens wants a permanent alliance with the city-states but with them at the head.

• Sparta is upset!

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The Delian League Formed• Alliance headed by

Pericles of Athens• To defend further

Persian invasion• Collected dues from

members• Problems

1. Forced members to remain

2. Used $ to rebuild Athens

3. Promoted democracies only

Sparta jealous!

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The Impact of the Persian Wars1. Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state. 2. Athens organized the Delian League, an alliance

with 150 Greek city-states and colonies in the Aegean region.

3. Athens used the Delian League to create an Athenian empire.

4. With Pericles as its leader, Athens enters into its Golden Age! But who was paying bill?

5. Sparta will eventually form an opposing alliance with the neutral city-states

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The Peloponnesian War: The Alliance System Fails!

Valarie Young The Peloponnesian War: CAUSES1. Many Greeks outside of

Athens resented Athenian domination.

2. Sparta formed the Peloponnesian League to rival the Delian League.

3. Sparta and Athens rivaling for supremacy… Which life style would influence the other city-states? Which type of government?

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Simulation: Diplomacy of War

1.Divide into groups of three2.Read simulation instructions3.You have 20 minute to complete the

simulation and then report to the class.

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The Peloponnesian War• Athens abusing funds

from Delian League• 27 year war ensues• Enthusiasm for the war

high on both sides• Pericles brings all the

people into the city • He depends on the navy,

high walls and food supplies to string out the war

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"long wall" strategy of Pericles

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A Mysterious Plague Hits Athens!• However a plague hits and

nothing can stop the disease…morale is low..

• Plague destroys 1/3 of Athenian population

• Most believe it was typhus: high fever and rash

• Plague sweeps through a total of 3 times during the war

• Generals are dead, Pericles is dead, no leadership

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Pericles’ Funeral OrationPericles gave a speech at the annual funeral of Athenians slain in battle. This speech is considered one of the earliest and greatest expressions of democratic ideals. Athenians believed they were fighting for a principle and a life-style “good” for all Greece.

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Pericles’ Funeral Oration“Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs not as harmless, but as a useless character.”

--Pericles’ 431 B.C.

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The Peloponnesian War• Sparta builds a

blockade around the walls…

• No supplies or food from the countryside

• Athens surrenders! • All the Greek city-

states divided and chaos!

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The Peloponnesian War: Effects1. Persia gained control of

many city-states2. Defeated democracy in

Greece 3. Sparta would eventually

fall to Persia4. Athen’s cultural

influence continues