History of Persian Wars

1. HISTORY OF PERSIAN WARS
Greco-Persian Wars, also called Persian Wars, (492–449 BCE), a series of wars fought by Greek
states and Persia over a period of almost half a century. The fighting was most intense during
two invasions that Persia launched against mainland Greece between 490 and 479. Although the
Persian empire was at the peak of its strength, the collective defense mounted by the Greeks
overcame seemingly impossible odds and even succeeded in liberating Greek city-states on the
fringe of Persia itself. The Greek triumph ensured the survival of Greek culture and political
structures long after the demise of the Persian empire.
In the generation before 522, the Persian kings Cyrus II and Cambyses II extended their rule from
the Indus River valley to the Aegean Sea. After the defeat of the Lydian king Croesus (c. 546), the
Persians gradually conquered the small Greek city-states along the Anatolian coast. In 522 Darius
came to power and set about consolidating and strengthening the Persian empire.
In 500 BCE the Greek city-states on the western coast of Anatolia rose up in rebellion against
Persia. This uprising, known as the Ionian revolt (500–494 BCE), failed, but its consequences for
the mainland Greeks were momentous. Athens and Eretria had sent a small fleet in support of
the revolt, which Darius took as a pretext for launching an invasion of the Greek mainland. His
forces advanced toward Europe in 492 BCE,but, when much of his fleetwas destroyed in a storm,
he returned home. However, in 490 aPersian army of 25,000 men landed unopposed on the Plain
of Marathon, and the Athenians appealed to Sparta to join forces against the invader. Owing to
a religious festival, the Spartans were detained, and the 10,000 Athenians had to face the
Persians aided only by 1,000 men from Plataea.
The Athenians were commanded by 10 generals, the most daring of whom was Miltiades. While
the Persian cavalry was away, he seized the opportunity to attack. The Greeks won a decisive
victory, losing only 192 men to the Persians’ 6,400 (according to the historian Herodotus). The
Greeks then prevented a surprise attack on Athens itself by quickly marching back to the city.
After their defeat at Marathon, the Persians went home, but they returned in vastly greater
numbers 10 years later, led by Darius’s successor, Xerxes. The unprecedented size of his forces
made their progress quite slow, giving the Greeks plenty of time to prepare their defense. A
general Greek league against Persia was formed in 481.
Command of the army was given to Sparta, that of the navy to Athens. The Greek fleet numbered
about 350 vessels and was thus only about one-third the size of the Persian fleet. Herodotus
estimated the Persian army to number in the millions, but modern scholars tend to doubt his
reportage. The Greeks decided to deploy a force of about 7,000 men at the narrow pass of
Thermopylae and aforce of 271 ships under Themistocles at Artemisium. Xerxes’ forces advanced
slowly toward the Greeks, suffering losses from the weather.
The Persians met the Greeks in battle over a period of three days in August 480. At sea a
detachment of 200 Persian ships attempted to surprise the Greek fleet, but the Greeks,

2. forewarned, engaged the main Persian navy. That night a tremendous storm destroyed the
Persian squadron while the Greeks were safely in port. On land the Persians attacked the Greeks
at Thermopylae for two days but suffered heavy losses.
However, on the second night a Greek traitor guided the best Persian troops around the pass
behind the Greek army. The Spartan general Leonidas dispatched most of the Greeks south to
safety but fought to the death at Thermopylae with the Spartan and Thespian soldiers who
remained. While the battle raged at Thermopylae, the Persian fleetattacked the Greek navy, with
both sides losing many ships.Xerxes’ army, aided by northern Greeks who had joined it, marched
south. In September the Persians burned Athens, which, however, by that time had been
evacuated.
In the meantime, the Greeks decided to station their fleet in the Strait of Salamis. Themistocles
devised a clever stratagem: feigning retreat, he lured the Persian fleet into the narrow strait. The
Persians were then outmaneuvered and badly beaten by the Greeks’ ships in the ensuing naval
battle. Soon afterward, the Persian navy retreated to Asia.
Although Xerxes returned to Persia that winter, his army remained in Greece. It was finallydriven
from the country after the battle of Plataea in 479 BCE, where it was defeated by a combined
force of Spartans, Tegeans, and Athenians. The Persian navy was defeated at Mycale, on the
Asiatic coast, when it declined to engage the Greek fleet. Instead the Persian navy beached its
ships and, joining a land army, fought a losing battle against a Spartan force led by Leotychidas.
Although the Persian invasion was ended by the battles at Plataea and Mycale, fighting between
Greece and Persiacontinued for another 30 years. Led by the Athenians, the newly formed Delian
League went on the offensive to free the Ionian city-states on the Anatolian coast. The league
had mixed success, and in 449 BCE the Peace of Callias finally ended the hostilities between
Athens and its allies and Persia.

3. FACTS ABOUT PERSIAN WARS
Who were the Persians?
The Persian Empire was the largest and most powerful empire in the world at the time of the
Persian Wars. They controlled land that stretched from Egypt all the way to India.
Who were the Greeks?
The Greeks were made up of a number of city-states such as Sparta and Athens. Typically these
city-states fought each other, but they united to fight against the Persians.
Marathon Race Origin
The Persian fleet landed at the Bay of Marathon, about 25 miles from the city of Athens. The
Persians had a lot more soldiers, but they underestimated the fighting capability of the Greeks.
The army of Athens routed the Persian army killing around 6,000 Persians and only losing 192
Greeks. After the battle, the Athenian army ran the 25 miles back to Athens in order to prevent
the Persians from attacking the city. This is the origin of the Marathon running race.
Thermopylae-Warriors Meeting in the Narrow Pass
The Greeks put together a small force, led by the Spartan King Leonidas I and 300 Spartans. They
decided to meet the Persians at a narrow pass in the mountains called Thermopylae. The Greeks
held off the Persians killing thousands, until the Persians found a way around the mountains and
got behind the Greeks. King Leonidas told most of his troops to flee, but stayed behind with a
small force including his 300 Spartans in order to allow the rest of the Greek army to escape. The
Spartans fought to the death, killing as many Persians as they could.
Salamis-Defeat of Persians
The Persian army continued to march on Greece. When they arrived at the city of Athens, they
found it deserted. The people of Athens had fled. The Athenian fleet, however, was waiting off
the coast by the island of Salamis. The much larger Persian fleet attacked the small Athenian
ships. They were sure of victory. However, the Athenian ships, called triremes, were fast and
maneuverable. They rammed into the sides of the large Persian ships and sunk them. They
soundly defeated the Persians causing Xerxes to retreat back to Persia.

4. What can we say about Humanities point of view?
Generally, "Greek" culture was in essence a restless union of disputing city-states. Cities like
Athens and Sparta briefly suspended their feuds for truces like the Olympic games. I personally
agree that Persian Wars helped inject confidence and pride among the leading Greek cities
especially Athens and Sparta. Having repelled a powerful enemy, the two enormously believed
that they could take on the world.
For Athens that led to a Golden age. Iam referring about the Parthenon, the dramas of Aeschylus,
and dramatic advances in sculpture. Perhaps the peak was the age of Pericles. What about
Sparta? Spartans were more concerned about stabilitythan beauty. When Athens partners in the
Delian league tried to withdraw and started the Peloponnesian war, Sparta took a leading role.