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Ancient Greece
: The Persian Wars
The Persian Empire Persia at the beginning of the 5th century BC had the biggest empire the world had ever seen, stretching from northern India in the east to Asia Minor in the west. Its emperor , Darius had conquered the Greek cities along the coast of Asia Minor and demanded homage (obedience ) from the cities of Greece itself. This was proudly refused and Darius prepared to attack . The Battle of Marathon The Persians sailed across the Aegean and landed not far from Athens in 490BC. the Athenians asked the Spartans for help but they were unable to come bescause of a religious festival. At Marathon 10,000 Athenian and Plataean hoplites, fighting in disciplined phalanxes, defeated 50,000 Persians . A messenger named Pheidippides ran to Athens with news of the Greek victory, only to die on arrival. Thermopylae and the Spartans The successor of Darius, the emperor Xerxes, planned a second, much bigger invasion of Greece in 480BC. This time an army crossed from Asia Minor to Europe at the Hellespont. Some Greek cities immediately surrendered to the Persians but the Spartans at Thermopylae were determined to delay the invaders for as long as possible. 300 of them under their king, Leonidas, fought to their deaths at this narrow mountain pass. The Athenian Fleet at Salamis Onwards the Persians came, taking and burning the city of Athens. The city's leader, Themistocles, had consulted the oracle at Delphi and had been told that the 'wooden walls' of the city would finally save it. The Athenians believed this meant its fleet of ships and in the narrow straits of Salamis, within sight of Athens they attacked and destroyed the Persian navy. Xerxes , cut off from Asia Minor, was forced to retreat and give up his occupation of Greece.
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