The document summarizes the Persian Wars between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire from 499 BCE to 449 BCE. It describes how the Persians, led by kings like Cyrus and Darius, attempted to conquer the Greek poleis but were defeated at key battles like Marathon and Thermopylae. The Greeks were ultimately victorious, securing their independence and allowing Athens to rise as the dominant power in the region.

1. WH Notes
Persian Wars
Ancient Greece
Kimberly

2. Basic Information
• Who is fighting? United Greek City States vs
Persian Empire (Persians)
• When? 499 BCE – 449 BCE
• Why? They don’t want to lose control of seatrade routes.

3. Background
• Athens and Sparta were rivals up until Persian
Wars.
• Persia was the largest Empire at the time.
• Persia being the largest was a threat to
Greece.

4. • 6th Century BCE start to see the first attack of
the Greeks (still not full blown war yet).
• Poleis sent aid back to the colonies (weapons,
soldiers)

5. Cyrus
• Cyrus decides to conquer all of Greeks.
• Underestimates power of Greeks.
• He failed to conquer all of Greeks.

6. 1st Persian War
• 492 BCE , Persia has a knew King, Darius.
• Battle of Marathon.

7. Battle of Marathon
• Greeks were out numbered 2 to 1.
• When Persians go back to their ships
(unarmored, Greeks attacked at night), Greeks
attacked them.
• It worked and Greek WON!
• ENDS FIRST PERSIAN WAR!

8. 1st Persian War
• Pheidippides
• Greek messenger.
• Ran from Marathon to Athens with news of
the NIKE (victory).
• Pheidippides dies from exhaustion by running
from Marathon t Athens. He got t Athens, yells
out “NIKE!” (which means victory) and then
collapses.

9. 2nd Persian War
• New king of Persia, Xerxes.
• He seek (past tense) revenge because Greeks
made his father look foolish because they loss
the war.
• He built a ginormous army.

10. 2nd Persian War
• Sparta was chosen to lead the alliance.
• Makes sense because Sparta was a military
focused society.
• Athens provides majority of the ships.

11. 2nd Persian War
• Persians decide to move North as the Greeks
start to move in on them on land and sea.
• Send 7,000 Greek soldiers to Therm. To fight
Persians.

12. 2nd Persian War
• Battle of Therm. Lasted 7 days.
• King Leonidas was a leader of the Greeks.

13. 2nd Persian War
• Salamis- a narrow strait to the south of
Athens.

14. 2nd War
• Athens gets burned down.
• GREEKS WIN WAR!

15. Outcome of the Wars
• Persians leave to Asia Minor , and never attack
or intend to attack again.
• For a period of time the poleis get along.
• Athens becomes a dominate force in the
region.