Practice Exam - Persian War II

✅ Multiple Choice Questions (1 point each)

1. Why was there a 10-year gap between the First and Second Persian Wars?
A) Athens signed a peace treaty
B) Persia was busy with Egypt
C) Darius died in 486 BCE
D) Themistocles delayed Persia

2. Who led the second Persian invasion of Greece?
A) Darius
B) Mardonius
C) Cyrus
D) Xerxes

3. What major military change occurred in Athens during the 10-year peace?
A) They built city walls
B) They increased their cavalry
C) They created a professional infantry
D) They became a naval power

4. Who convinced Athens to invest in a navy?
A) Pericles
B) Cleisthenes
C) Themistocles
D) Aristides

5. What financed Athens’ new warships?
A) Trade with Sparta
B) Taxes on aristocrats
C) War reparations from Persia
D) Profits from silver mines at Laurium

6. How many triremes did Athens have by the time of the second Persian invasion?
A) 50
B) 100
C) 200
D) 300

7. Where did the Greek states meet to form a united front against Persia in 481 BCE?
A) Athens
B) Sparta
C) Corinth
D) Delphi

8. What agreement was made at the Corinth conference?
A) To invade Persia
B) To retreat behind city walls
C) To end internal conflicts and unite
D) To surrender Athens to Persia

9. Who took charge of the overall military strategy for Greece?
A) Athens
B) Corinth
C) Sparta
D) Thebes

10. What type of terrain did the Greeks want to avoid fighting in?
A) Rivers
B) Coastal towns
C) Mountain passes
D) Open plains

11. What did Themistocles recommend before the Persian invasion reached Athens?
A) Destroy all temples
B) Retreat to Sparta
C) Evacuate Athens
D) Surrender to Persia

12. Where did most Athenians flee to during the invasion?
A) Corinth
B) Delos
C) Salamis
D) Euboea

13. What did Xerxes do when he reached Athens?
A) Made peace
B) Captured hostages
C) Burned and sacked the city
D) Appointed an Athenian ruler

14. What strategic location did Themistocles choose for naval battle?
A) Gulf of Corinth
B) Strait of Artemisium
C) Bay of Marathon
D) Strait of Salamis

15. What trick did Themistocles use to force the Greek fleet to fight?
A) Sent false letters to the Spartans
B) Bribed Persian commanders
C) Told Xerxes to block the channel
D) Burned the Greek ships

16. Why was the strait at Salamis useful to the Greeks?
A) It allowed them to hide their fleet
B) It was near their food supply
C) It limited the Persian fleet’s movement
D) It gave them access to reinforcements

17. What was a key weakness of the Persian navy at Salamis?
A) Poor leadership
B) Lack of training
C) Weak ship armor
D) Ships weren’t suited for narrow waters

18. What advantage did the Greek ships have in the battle of Salamis?
A) Faster speed
B) Underwater rams and heavier build
C) Long-range weapons
D) Poisoned arrows

19. Who was the standout female commander in the Persian navy?
A) Aspasia
B) Artemisia
C) Dido
D) Sappho

20. What famous quote did Xerxes make about Artemisia’s performance?
A) “She fights like a god.”
B) “Even the winds obey her.”
C) “My women have become men.”
D) “The sea bows to her.”

21. What did Xerxes do after losing the naval battle at Salamis?
A) Fled to Egypt
B) Surrendered
C) Returned to Persia
D) Tried to make peace with Sparta

22. Who did Xerxes leave in charge of his land forces in Greece?
A) Datis
B) Mardonius
C) Darius III
D) Pausanias

23. What did Mardonius offer the Athenians in 479 BCE?
A) A truce with all Greeks
B) Control of Sparta
C) A separate peace
D) Gold and slaves

24. Where was the final land battle of the Persian Wars fought?
A) Thermopylae
B) Boeotia
C) Plataea
D) Delos

25. What happened at Mycale on the same day as the Battle of Plataea?
A) Persian navy defeated again
B) Athenian fleet sank
C) Spartans burned Persian ships
D) Persians invaded Ionia

✍ Free-Response Questions (10 points each)

1. Explain how Themistocles’ strategy at Salamis reflected the strengths of the Greek navy and the weaknesses of the Persian fleet. Why was this battle a turning point in the Second Persian War?

2. Describe the significance of the Greek alliance formed at Corinth in 481 BCE. What challenges did it face, and how did it shape the outcome of the war?

🔑 Answer Key

Multiple Choice Answers:

  1. C

  2. D

  3. D

  4. C

  5. D

  6. C

  7. C

  8. C

  9. C

  10. D

  11. C

  12. C

  13. C

  14. D

  15. C

  16. C

  17. D

  18. B

  19. B

  20. C

  21. C

  22. B

  23. C

  24. C

  25. A


1. Explain how Themistocles’ strategy at Salamis reflected the strengths of the Greek navy and the weaknesses of the Persian fleet. Why was this battle a turning point in the Second Persian War?

Model Answer:
Themistocles’ strategy at Salamis made use of the narrow sea channel, which canceled out the Persian numerical advantage. The Greek ships were heavier and better suited for close combat, especially with their ramming capabilities. Themistocles lured Xerxes into committing his full navy by sending a deceptive message. The result was a decisive Greek victory that forced Xerxes to retreat, ending hopes of a quick Persian conquest and turning the tide of the war in favor of the Greeks.


2. Describe the significance of the Greek alliance formed at Corinth in 481 BCE. What challenges did it face, and how did it shape the outcome of the war?

Model Answer:
The alliance at Corinth brought together many rival Greek city-states to face a common enemy—Persia. It established a united front with shared military strategy and banned separate peace deals. Despite internal tensions and fear among members (especially after Athens was destroyed), leaders like Themistocles helped maintain unity. This cooperation allowed for coordinated battles like Salamis and Plataea, leading to Greek victory. It showed that unity could overcome even a vast empire like Persia, though this unity would later break down.