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Period: 499 BCE to 493 BCE
Ionian Rebellion
The Greek cities in Ionian got besieged by the Persians and asked for help from Athens. The Persians spread out their territories from 547 BC til Thrace and Macedonia granted a hiding-place for the tyrant Hippias, one more reason for Athens to intervene.
Miletus was still fighting till 494 BC. So like this started also the conflict between Athens and the Persians, which never forgot them for the support of the Ionian cities. -
Period: 492 BCE to 490 BCE
1st Persian War
The Persians and King Darius l wanted to conquer Greece to have more land. While the army was sent to capture Hellespont. From there he joined his army in Hellespont, capturing Thrace and Macedon on his way. He then moved to Thassos but luck would have it, he faced a powerful storm Datis and Artaphernes gathered a force to teach Attica and Eretria a lesson for supporting Ionia. Eretria was captured and looted and then surrendered the city back. -
Period: 490 BCE to 490 BCE
Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon was fought between the citizens of Athens, aided by Plataea, and a Persian force commanded by Datis and Artaphernes. The greek general, Miltiades, after much hesitation, it started with men in the center moving forward and had soldiers come around the sides also to attack. The Persians went running for their ships. Then the Greeks marched back to Athens to defend the city against the cavalry. -
Period: 482 BCE to 479 BCE
2nd Persian War
Darius had died in 485 B.C. before he could launch another attack on Greece, so his son, Xerxes, set out to complete his father’s ambition of conquering Greece. The invasion began in spring 480 BC when the Persian army crossed the Hellespont and marched through Thrace and Macedon to Thessaly. The Greeks would now move to the offensive, eventually expelling the Persians from Europe, the Aegean Islands, and Ionia before the war finally came to an end in 479 BC. -
480 BCE
Battle of Salamis
Athenians wanted to fight the Persians in the narrow channels between the island and the mainland. He set a trap for the Persians. Xerxes fell for the trap and ordered his ships to enter the narrow waterway between salamis and the mainland to attack. As the Persian approached, the greek ships seem to retreat. Another trick, to draw the Persians farther into the channel. The Greeks had them surrounded. The greek ships had wooden rams at the front that they used. The Greeks won. -
Period: 480 BCE to 480 BCE
Battle of Thermopylae
Sparta would try to stop the Persians. Sparta chose to make their stand at Thermopylae which would make the Persians go through a narrow pass between the mountains and sea. When the Persians tried to get through the pass the greeks pushed them back. A greek traitor told them a secret path, Persians would attack the greeks from the front and the rear. Sparta could only delay the Persians. Spartans fought till the end even with broken weapons using their hands. Persia won this battle. -
Period: 431 BCE to 404 BCE
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War was caused because Athens was seen as the most dominant city-state and Sparta disliked that. Sparta then attacks Athens. Particles allowed Athenians to move into city walls. Disease killed ⅓ including Pericles. Persia helped out Sparta to defeat Athenians. Thebes attacks Sparta and wins. Athens was forced to surrender, and Sparta won the Peloponnesian War in 404 BC. Now the door is open for foreigners to invade
