The Persian Wars
were a 20-year conflict that lasted from 490 B.C. to 479 B.C., in which the kings of the Persian Empire made an effort to acquire Greece. The independent city-states banned together and successfully resisted these attacks.
The Greek colonies in Asia Minor were conquered, in 550 B.C., by Croesus, King of Lydia, and brought into the Lydian Empire. Croesus was a mild ruler and an ally of Sparta. In 546 B.C., Croesus was overthrown by Cyrus the Great, king of Persia. Except for the island of Samos, which defended itself, the Greek city-states in Asia and the coastal islands then became part of the Persian Empire. Persia watched the city-states very carefully. Individuals were ...
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He went to the Greek mainland for support but Sparta denied him aid, fearing their Helots might revolt. Athens, on the other hand, supplied 20 ships and Eretria, an Athenian ally, sent five. These forces set out to Sardis, the capital of Lydia, where they burned it, slaughtered the men, and took the women and children into slavery. All the Greek cities in Asia Minor joined in the revolt but the Athenians lost interest and returned home. In 493 B.C., after the city of Miletus was captured, the Persian Empire established its control over Ionia once again. The Ionian Revolt lasted for six years, but their fight for freedom and democracy had failed. King Darius of Persia swore to discipline Ionia’s allies.
In 492 B.C. King Darius gathered together a great military force under the command of his son-in-law, Mardonius, and sent 600 ships around the northern coast of the Aegean Sea. A sudden storm wrecked supply ships when they were rounding Mount Athos on the Macedonian ...
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of Athens. The ships had been seen and the Athenians were warned. The generals decided that help from Sparta was needed. The quickest way to get the message to them was by boat, but strong winds made that difficult. Their next idea was to send a messenger by horse but the horse’s feet would be harmed. They finally decided to send a long distance runner. They called upon Athens’ finest, Pheidippides, a trained athlete who was preparing for the Olympic games. He ran from Athens to Sparta, approximately 150 miles, in two days. When the message was given to the Spartans, they agreed to help the Athenians but were conducting a religious festival and could not march until the moon ...
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The Persian Wars. (2005, February 20). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Persian-Wars/22542
"The Persian Wars." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 20 Feb. 2005. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Persian-Wars/22542>
"The Persian Wars." Essayworld.com. February 20, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Persian-Wars/22542.
"The Persian Wars." Essayworld.com. February 20, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Persian-Wars/22542.
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