The Expansion of Greece

1
The Expansion of Greece
2
The Persian Wars

• 500 B.C.E. Greeks in Asia Minor rebelled against
  Persian invaders and captors.
• Conflicts lasted until 479 B.C.E.
• Athens sent soldiers to fight Persian army

3
Persian Wars

• Persian ruler Darius defeated Greeks easily but
  wanted to punish Athens for helping rebels
• Darius also wanted to gain control of Greek
  mainland
• 492 B.C.E. Persians conquered Thrace and
  Macedonia

4
Persian Wars

• 494 B.C.E. Athenians defeated Persians at Battle
  of Marathon
• Persians forced to withdraw and an uneasy peace
  existed for 10 years

5
Xerxes Comes To Power

• In 480 B.C.E. Xerxes led Persian army and navy
  against Greece
• Greek city-states united to stop the invasion
  through Thermopylae where a small force of 300
  Spartan soldiers met Persians
• Spartans were all killed but the Battle of
  Thermopylae gave the other city-states enough
  time to prepare armies to defend Greece

6
Persians on the March

• Persians marched toward Athens
• Themistocles, as leader of Athens, convinced the
  city-states to ally themselves and build more
  navy vessels
• Themistocles strategy was to have all citizens
  leave Athens
• Xerxes entered Athens and destroyed it
• Themistocles tricked Xerxes into attacking the
  Greek navy in the Salamis Strait

7
Persians on the March

• Persian ships were larger and unable to maneuver
  in the narrow straits and the Greek ships were
  able to sink most of the Persian ships
• 479 B.C.E. Athens and Sparta joined forces to
  defeat the Persians at Plataea

8
Results of Persian Wars

• Persians still strong and worked to prevent Greek
  unity but the success of the Persian Wars gave
  Greeks confidence
• Athens was rebuilt and began to create own empire
  in Aegean Sea
• Greeks created Delian League alliance of city
  states with Athens as leader, eventually included
  140 city-states contributing ships and money
• By 450 B.C.E. Athens empire was based on Delian
  League

9
Who was Pericles?

• Leader of Athens
• Brought Athens to height of power and wealth
• Democracy reached its height where all male
  citizens, except lowest in social status could
  hold office
• Strengthened and extended Athenian empire by
  establishing colonies
• His rule brought stability and prosperity to
  Mediterranean region
• Members of Delian League got benefits but lost
  independence

10
Peloponnesian War

• Pericles failed to unite Greece under Athens as
  disputes between Athens and Corinth and Athens
  and Sparta grew
• 431 B.C.E. war between Athens and Sparta broke
  out known as Peloponnesian War

11
Peloponnesian War

• Spartan army invaded Attic peninsula, destroying
  crops and villages
• Athenians withdrew behind walls of Athens and
  ships brought food
• War lasted many years and Athens was hit by a
  plague killing many citizens

12
Peloponnesian War

• War continued for 27 years
• Internal fighting weakened Athens
• Sparta, helped by Persia, blocked Athens food
  supply
• Starving Athens surrendered in 404 B.C.E.
• Greece was now politically unstable with war
  between city-states
• Greece still makes great cultural advances during
  this time