Persians were creating a huge empire that stretched from Asia Minor to India

Transcription

1 Persians were creating a huge empire that stretched from Asia Minor to India Athens had emerged as the wealthiest Greek city-state Greek city-states in Ionia, located in Asia Minor, had been conquered by the Persians In 499 BCE, Ionians rebelled against the Persians Athens sent ships to help them Darius assembled in Cilicia a big army and a fleet of 600 galleys. Persians crossed to Attica, landing at the plain of Marathon The Athenians, upon learning the news of the fall of Eretria, sent Phidippides to Sparta, to ask for assistance. Phidippides, a postman by profession, made the journey of 150 miles on foot, in only 48 hours. The Spartans promised to send a force, but asked for time, because it was not full moon yet The Athenian army was numbered 10,000 heavy armed soldiers (hoplites) They had no significant light armed men, nor had any cavalry or archers. 1

2 The Persian army was numbered at more than 120,000 men and had encamped at the plain, about one mile from the sea. It had been decided, that if the Persians would move towards Athens or started embarking on the ships, they would attack them immediately. After waiting for eight days, the Persians started to embark men in the ships to sail at the defenseless city of Athens. The Athenians rushed toward the enemy, in order to avoid long exposure to their arrows. With their war cry, fell upon the Persians, who were unused for hand to hand fighting. After a long and hard battle, the Athenian attack had such a devastating effect that in a short time the Persians retreated to their ships, with great loses, abandoning their camp. At the sea shore, a vicious and long battle took place, in which the Greeks tried to prevent the Persians escaping to their ships. The Persians, who took refuge in the swamps, were all slaughtered. Immediately after the battle, an Athenian hoplite, said to be PHIDIPPIDES, in full arms, ran to Athens (the distance of 21 miles), to give the good news. Raising his shield, he cried "We have won" and then he collapsed and died. The Modern Olympics honor this run with the running event called the MARATHON. The Persians lost 6,400 men and 7 of their ships were captured, and Athenians had only 192 men killed. The 2nd day after the battle, 2,000 Spartans came to Athens, marching 150 miles in just 3 days. Finding the battle over, they visited Marathon and after inspecting the field of the battle, where thousands of enemy bodies were lying, they returned to Sparta, having only praise for the bravery of the Athenians BC The disastrous expedition by the Persians in Greece made Darius even more eager to conquer Greece. After the battle of Marathon, Darius was preparing a vast army, but a revolt that broke out in Egypt that postponed an early expedition and in 485 BCE, he died. His son, Xerxes, succeeded him to the throne. After crushing the rebellion in Egypt, Xerxes started preparations against Greece, on a massive scale. 2

3 BCE For four years, provisions of all kinds and army were assembled at the plains of Kapadokia, as well as food dumps along his route to the coast of Thrace BCE He had a ship canal built in Chalkidiki, north of mount Athos, large enough for two triremes, in order to avoid the dangerous cape, which had destroyed his fleet in 492 BCE. Ship Canal BC Xerxes had Egyptian and Phoenician engineers construct a bridge over the Hellespont, near Abydos, where the breadth of the sea is only seven stadia (about one mile). The bridge was constructed by old ships and held by enormous ropes. It was later destroyed by a storm and Xerxes ordered the heads, of those responsible for the construction, to be cut and three hundred lashes to be given to the unruly Hellespont BC Two new bridges were constructed by Greek engineers using 674 ships, next to each other, one for the army and the other for animals and baggage. The bridges were resting upon a row of anchored ships and fastened by ropes BC In Greece, Themistocles persuaded the Athenians to build a fleet from fear of another Persian invasion. In a period of two years, Athens had a fleet of more than two hundred triremes. The strategic plan of the Greeks was to defeat the Persian fleet in a naval battle, with the hope, that their land army would withdraw, without naval support. 3

4 After the spring rains, the vast Persian army marched towards Hellespont. For seven days and nights the army was crossing over to Europe. The Persian force, 5,000,000 men and the Persian fleet numbered to 1207 ships. The vast army was consisted of: 1,700,000 foot soldiers 80,000 cavalry 20,000 Lybians and Arabians, with chariots and camels Conquered Greek cities contributed more than 300,000 men A small force sent by the Greek cities under the king of Sparta, Leonidas, encamped at Thermopylae. To the Spartans the oracle of Delphi gave a dreadful omen, telling them that "either their city or a Spartan king would perish". Old Road Old Shoreline 4

5 Xerxes found that the place was defended by a body of 300 Spartans and about 7,000 hoplites commanded by the Spartan King Leonidas. Xerxes delayed his attack for four days, thinking that the Greeks would disperse as soon as they realized his forces were greater. He sent heralds asking the Spartans to deliver up their arms. The answer from Leonidas was "come and take them " A Spartan, who was told about the great number of Persian soldiers, who with their arrows would conceal the sun, he answered "so much the better, we will fight in the shade " At the fifth day Xerxes attacked but without any results and with heavy losses, though the Medes fought bravely. Xerxes then ordered his personal guard the "Immortals" under Hydarnes, a body of 10,000 consisting of the best Persian soldiers, to advance. They also failed and Xerxes was observed to jump from his throne three times in anger and agony. The following day they attacked, but again made no progress. Xerxes was told about a secret path across the mountain by a Greek who sought a reward. A strong Persian force was sent guided by the traitor. Many of the Greeks thought that they should find a better defensible place, but Leonidas refused. 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians made the decision to stay and fight. Leonidas did not wait for the Persian attack, advancing in the path, he fell upon the Persians. Thousands of Persians were slain, the rest were driven into the sea, but when the Spartan spears broke, they started having losses and one of the first that fell was King Leonidas. Around his body one of the fiercest battles took place. Four times the Persians attacked to obtain it and four times they were repulsed. 5

6 At the end, the Spartans exhausted and wounded, carrying the body of Leonidas, retired behind the wall, but they were surrounded by the enemy, who killed them with arrows. The enormous Persian fleet totaled 1207 ships and supported by about 3000 smaller vessels. The fighting men on the triremes were about 36,000 and with 240,000 rowers. The Greeks along the coast of Thrace and islands contributed 120 ships to the Persians. Storms destroyed most of the small ships and about 200 triremes. When the news came that Thermopylae had fallen to the Persians, the Greek ships sailed to Salamis. The gulf of Salamis, where the Greek fleet sailed, was a well chosen place to fight the enemy, because in the narrow straits of the sea, the advantage that the Persians had in ships was diminished. Xerxes had reached Athens and surrounded Acropolis. All the temples and buildings of the Acropolis were plundered and burned. From the ships and the island of Salamis, Athenians and the rest of Greeks were looking the city of Athens in fire. The Greek fleet was consisted of 366 ships. The Persian fleet now was less than 1000 ships. A throne was prepared on shore for Xerxes to watch the naval battle. 6

7 There were small waves in the straits at that moment and the Greek seamen, who knew the currents and had heavier ships, and were equally as fast as the Persians, had a clear advantage. At the narrow straits of Salamis, the Greek ships had greater maneuverability and were faster to attack. The Greeks were fighting with order, without any confusion, while the Persians, though they were fighting bravely, had no tactical plan. After a hard battle, the Persian ships panicked and turned back, falling upon their own, ramming them with their bronze beaks. The whole strait of Salamis was full from the wrecks. GREEKS PERSIANS At sunset the battle was over with the Persian fleet partly destroyed or out of action. The Greeks lost 40 triremes and the Persians 200 and about 50,000 men. 7

8 BATTLE OF PLATAEA 479 BCE (GREEK VICTORY) The number in the Greek army was now 38,000 hoplites, who with light armed troops and the Helots reached 110,000 men. There was no cavalry and the bow men were very few. BATTLE OF PLATAEA 479 BCE (GREEK VICTORY) After the Battle of Salamis, the Persians retreated from Attica and encamped near the town of Plataea. The Persian army numbered 300,000 men. For eight days the attack was delayed from both sides by unfavorable sacrifices. BATTLE OF PLATAEA 479 BCE (GREEK VICTORY) The Persians attacked when they learned that the Greeks were retreating. Greeks engaged when they received a good omen from the sacrifices. BATTLE OF PLATAEA 479 BCE (GREEK VICTORY) The Persian general, at the head of his 1,000 bodyguards, was in the front line fighting bravely, until he was struck down by the Spartans. When the general fell, the Persian army fled to their fortified camp. But this did not save them when the Greeks managed to enter and a great massacre took place. BATTLE OF PLATAEA 479 BCE (GREEK VICTORY) Only 3,000 Persians escaped out the 300,000. The Greeks lost only 1,300 men. This was the final battle in Greece of the Persian Wars. RESULTS Increased the Greeks sense of their own superiority Their gods had protected their superior form of government the city-state Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state in Greece 8