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Persia Attacks the Greeks

Persia Attacks the Greeks. Developed 2009/10 by Elin Richmond using illustrations from National Geographic’s Journey Across Time. Early Persia. Persia: civilization SW of what is today Iran Early Persians were warriors and nomads Cyrus the Great united Persians into

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Persia Attacks the Greeks

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  1. Persia Attacks the Greeks Developed 2009/10 by Elin Richmond using illustrations from National Geographic’s Journey Across Time

  2. Early Persia • Persia:civilization SW of what is today Iran • Early Persians were warriors and nomads • Cyrus the Great united Persians into a powerful kingdom: An empire larger than any yet seen in the world

  3. Persia’s Empire • 539 BC Cyrus’s Persian armies capture Babylon in Mesopotamia • Then: Asia Minor Syria Canaan Phoenician cities • Cyrus treats the subjects well, & even let Jews, that had been captured by Babylonians, to return home.

  4. Reminder Timeline of Mesopotamia Mesopotamia: Sumer Ca 3,000 BC Sargon & Akkadians Ca 2,340 BC Assyrians Ca 900 BC Hammurabi & Babylonians Ca 1,800 BC Nebuchadnezzar & Chaldeans Ca 605 Persians from NE capture 539 BC

  5. Persia’s Empire • Cyrus’s merciful rule helped keep the growing empire together. • They then continued to conquer: Egypt Western India Thrace (region NE of Greece) They built roads, including the Royal Road from Asia Minor to Susa (the capital of Persia). • The empire was then about the size of USA today

  6. Persia’s Government • By 521 BC Darius became the new emperor. • 20 provinces called satrapies • satrap: Tax collector, judge, chief of police, head recruiter of army • Each satrap answered to king/emperor of Persia • Paid men to be full-time soldiers, incl. the Immortals • Religion: Zoroastrianism believed in one god (like the Jewish people, but unlike Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Greeks)

  7. Reasons for the Persian Wars • Greek colonization clashed with Persians • By 500’s BC Persia controlled Greek cities in Asia Minor • 499 BC Greeks rebelled with Athenian army support, but were defeated • King Darius now decided Greeks must be stopped from interfering with the Persian Empire

  8. The Battle of Marathon • 490 BC Persian fleet of 20,000 soldiers landed on plain of Marathon (close to Athens) • 10,000 Athenian waited on hills • Persians waited, but grew impatient (began to board ships to sail to Athens) • Athenians defeated the Persians easily • Pheidippides; “Victory!”

  9. Another Persian Strike • 486 BC Darius son Xerxes became emperor after Darius died: Revenge against Athenians • 480 BC launched invasion with 180,000 troops and thousands of warships and supply vessels • Greeks joined forces • Athenian general, Themistoclesplan • To have time to ready Greek fleet: 7,000 Greek soldiers hold of Persians at Thermopylae (Hot Gates); a narrow mountain pass

  10. Another Persian Strike • Spartans especially brave incl. Leonidas • Gave enough time to allow Athens to assemble 200 ships • Greeks attacked Persian ships at straits of Salamis & defeated the Persian fleet • Persian army still marched on: Athens • Persians burned the city • Now: Greeks more determined than ever….

  11. The End of the Persian Empire • 479 BC Greeks came together • Greeks crushed Persian army at Plataea(NW of Athens) • Persians retreated to Asia Minor • Persia: lose strength, internal problems incl. new rulers raising taxes to pay for luxuries, as well as royal families fighting, plots to kill kings/emperors • 334 BC Alexander the Great invaded • 330 BC last Persian emperor died and Alexander the Great ruled

  12. Main Ideas/Summary Sentences for Ch.4.S2 • The Persian Empire united a wide area under a single government. • Both Sparta and Athens played roles in defeating the Persians.

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