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490 BCE
The battle of marathon
place. The Athenian citizens, assisted by Plataea, engaged a Persian force led by Datis and Artaphernes in battle. The conflict marked the conclusion of Persia's initial campaign to annex Greece under King Darius I. -
480 BCE
The battle of Thermopylae
Thermopylae was fought in 480 BC between an alliance of Greek city-states commanded by Sparta under Leonidas I and the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Xerxes I. The Persians were able to outflank the Greeks after three days of holding their own against the Persian king Xerxes I and his massive army as it advanced southward. Leonidas and a small group stayed behind to fight the advance and were defeated after sending the main army into retreat. -
480 BCE
The battle of salamis
A coalition of Greek city-states led by Themistocles engaged the Persian Empire led by King Xerxes in a naval battle at Salamis in 480 BC. The outnumbered Greeks won it handily as a result. -
478 BCE
The Delian League
League of Delian. Following the Persian War, the Delian League was established in 478 BCE as a military coalition to protect the Ionian Greeks from any potential threats. Athens served as its principal leader and used its sizable and potent navy to defend all of its members who were unable to defend themselves.