Persian War                                                                                                         back to Greece

• The Persians under Cyrus took over all of Asia Minor including the southern coastal region called Ionia. A revolt led by Miletus in 499 B.C. broke out. They asked for the help of the Greeks. Athens and Eretria said yes, Sparta said no.

• They fought in vain. They suffered a devastating defeat.

• The Persians decided to teach them a lesson and conquered the rest of the coast of Asia Minor, all the way to the Hellesport.

• Cyrus sailed across to Eretria and conquered that city. They then landed at Marathon about 40 km from Athens.

• Sparta refused to help because of a religious festival.

• Therefore 10,000 Athenians faced about 25,000 Persians.

• They got information that the Persians, at the far end of the Marathon Plain, had left their houses overnight.

• They attacked in the early A.M. The centre engaged the bulk of the Persian army and the Athenians took their flanks and surrounded the Persians.

• The Athenians Won! This is or was the biggest glory ever for Athens.

• The Spartans arrived 2 days later with only 2,000 men as they were scared of helot rebellion at home.

• The Persian fleet sailed around the coast to catch Athens undefended but the army arrived back in time to prevent this and the Persians sailed back to Asia Minor.

• The Greeks were given 10 years grace before the next Persian onslaught.

• The Greek leader at this time was Themistocles (528-462) B.C. He was a man of strong opinions who felt certain that the Persians would return.

• Aristides proposed that a new rich silver mine be turned over to the poor. Themistocles said no it would be used to build a navy.

• Aristides was exiled after this and a naval force of 200 ships was built from the riches of the mine.

• Xerxes (485-465 B.C.), the king organized a massive force of 200,000 men (the largest till WW II)

• They met the Greeks at Thermopylae. This was a narrow passage where they were going to hold back the Persians.  A traitor told the Persians about another route and they attacked the Greeks from the rear. The main Greek force were able to escape, but 1,000 Greeks, 300 of them Spartans, remained to all be killed defending the pass at Thermopylae.

• Athens had to be evacuated and was burnt to the ground when the Persians arrived.

• But this was a battle won not the war. The Greek fleet had yet to be destroyed.

• The Greeks put their fleet in a very narrow harbour at Salamis.

• They then sent false information to the Persians that they were about to leave.

• The Persians rushed there to keep them in the harbour.

• Once the Persians entered the harbour, their boats were too huge to navigate properly and the Greeks soon had the upper hand.

• What was left of the Persian fleet fled to the Hellesport to await Xerxes.

• The rest of the Persian troops wintered over.

• The next year was a final showdown just outside Plataca

• The Spartans showed up this time and it was a force of 40,000 Greeks  vs.  60,000 Persians.

• The Greeks won!!!!