Crash Course: The Persians and Greeks

Persian Wars

By Chandler Gorham

The Beginning

• Persia had Greek colonies along the coasts of the Mediterranean and Black Seas. ​

• In 499 BCE, Greek colonists in Anatolia tried to revolt against their Persian rulers but were stopped.

• King Darius believed that Athens supported the rebels in Anatolia.

• Darius sends troops to Athens. ​

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War Begins

• In 490 BCE, King Darius decides to try and conquer all of Greece and sends troops

• Persia had a larger army than Greece but had trouble crossing the Aegean Sea​

• ​Persia was successful early, but the battle of Marathon was a big win for the Greek forces

• Persia retreats back their empire

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Second Persian War

• 10 years later (480 BCE), Persia, again, tries to invade Greece

• Persia was led by King Xeres, the son of Darius

• Instead of crossing the Aegean Sea, the Persians traveled over land

• Because of the mountainous terrain, the 360,000 Persian troops moved slowly into Greece

• Athens defeated the Persian navy while Sparta defeated the Persian troops

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Open Ended

What other civilizations have we learned about where they had a natural barrier due to their geography?