seanpersianwars Sean Fajay
PERSIAN WARS NOTES:
    While Athens was developing its democracy and Sparta its version of communism, the Persian empire was expanding to its greatest extent under Cyrus the Great. Now the Persians were encroaching on the Greek city-states of Asia Minor. The Greeks there begged their brothers for help, and the mainland Greeks, especially Athens responded, by helping them revolt. Histiaeaus and Anaxagoras, both prominent men of Miletus, instigated the rebellion - Histaeaus was taken by the Persians to Susa.  But they communicated through a slave, and the rebellion began in 499. Revolt went well for a while - huge area, took Persians a while to gather taxes from all the places. Region of Thrace recovered from Persia (which they had just taken over in 512). Persians then fought back - big fight on Cyprus with a navy. 494 - destruction of Miletus, women and children captives, men killed. By 493, Persians completely defeated the rebellion.
 
Persians then basically had two goals:

1. To recover Thrace

2. Seek revenge on the Athenians and Eretrians for helping, and for burning Sardis.

In 492 Persians, led by Mardonius, attempted to do just that: set out by ship but fleet wrecked in storm off of the coast of Thrace at Athos. 
Mardonius was replaced by Datis and Artaphrenes. 

By 490 BC: they were ready:   about 25,000 fighting troops and 600  ships. 

The plan was to send a smaller force to island-hop by ship and then go straight to Athens via Euboia, where Eretria is. 

Goal: to make Athens a subject state, pay tribute, create a satrapy of Greece.
BATTLE OF MARATHON
Persians left their camp,which was Sconia, marched south along the shore, then crossed the Chadra river and formed a line opposite the Greeks.

For several days neither side flinched. 1 mile apart.

Meanwhile, city of Athens relatively unprotected. Datis sends some ships with his horse/cavalry. Miltiades realizes they are gone, and what it might mean, figures they better get this battle overwith and win it or Athens will be taken. He leads the charge.

Greeks on higher ground, charge with speed across the mile wide no mans land. shallow in middle thicker at the edges. chased away the edges then clamped on to the middle.

Persians suffered great losses, ran to the ships.

6400 Persians died, 192 Athenians. Kill ratio was 32:1

XERES' REIGN:
    After Darius' death Xeres (Darius' Son) came to the throne. Xerxes was more interested in pursuing other campaigns, such as a reconquest of Egypt, rather than Greece.

TIMELINE:

500s: Persian Empire Expands Rapidly
499-494: City States rebelled against Persian rulers
490: Battle of Marathon, Athenian army outnumbered 4 to 1 but defeats Persian army.
480: Persians defeat Greeks, North of Athens. Went on to take Athens. Themistocles then ordered Athenian Navy to withdraw to the Bay of Salamis where they sank half of Persian Fleet and defeated them.
479: Greeks defeat remaining Persian forces.



Last updated  2008/09/28 11:13:42 PDTHits  451