Persian Wars - Ancient Mediterranean History Midterm

The Achaemenid Empire

still relatively newish at this point

Ionian revolt against the Achaemenid Empire

Ionia was subject to the Persian king, revolt was eventually crushed by Persians, people of Ionia sent out a call to the Greek world for help

Marathon

Persians attack the Athenians in Marathon, Athenians charge the Persians (first time people have done that), Athenians won despite their small numbers

Key battles of the second Persian invasion

Thermopylae (480, Greeks lose), Salamis (480, Greeks win through trickery), Plataea (479, Greeks won)

For the Greeks this was very important

due to their great disadvantage and need to sustain their freedom, drives the engine of a shared Greek identity