Persia 2

Persia Continued

Greek City-States and Neighboring Regions

  • Important regions/cities:

    • Athens

    • Sparta

    • Boeotia

    • Euboea

    • Chalcidice/Chalkidike

    • Ionia

    • Corinth

    • Miletos

The Kingdom of Darius I

  • Bosporos Crossing (513 BC):

    • Darius I crossed the Bosporos with a pontoon bridge.

    • Proceeded northwest into Thrace.

  • Conquest Timeline:

    • By 500 BC, he successfully conquered areas proximal to Greek territories.

The Origins and Battles of the Ionian Revolt

  • Key Figure:

    • Aristagoras: Greek, newly appointed tyrant of Miletos.

  • Interest in Naxos:

    • Attempted to assert influence over Naxos, leading to a failed military campaign.

  • Appeal to Satrap:

    • Reached out to Artaphernes (Darius’s brother) for aid in the revolt.

  • Consequences of Failure:

    • Revolt erupted following a failed campaign, spurred by Greek populations’ desire for democracy rather than Persian-imposed tyrants.

The Burning of Sardis (498 BC)

  • Involved Parties:

    • Ionian Greeks, Athenians, Eretrians from Euboea.

  • Battle of Lade:

    • Took place in 494 BC, where the engaged forces ultimately faced defeat.

    • Following this event, Darius began establishing Persian-style democracies.

Persian Envoys Come to the Greeks

  • Chronology:

    • In 490 BC, Persian ambassadors arrived in Athens and other Greek poleis.

  • Demand:

    • Requested symbolic tokens of submission, specifically “earth and water.”

  • Fate of Eretria:

    • Eretria in Euboea faced a significant military response from Persia, highlighting the consequences of defiance.

Marathon

  • Geographical Context:

    • Locations Visually Represented:

    • Euboea

    • Delphi

    • Boeotia (Eretria, Thebes)

    • Athens

    • Corinth

    • Attica (Mycenae)

    • Delos

    • Paros

  • Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.):

    • Significant military engagement where Greek forces executed a double envelopment strategy against the Persians.

  • Key Figures:

    • Callimachus: Polemarch and leader during the battle.

    • Miltiades: One of the ten strategoi and a chief strategist.

The Marathonomachoi

  • Historical Accounts:

    • Reference to Aischylos' work mentioning his brother Kynegiros and the significance of the soldiers who perished at Marathon.

    • Cited recognition in the work of Roman historian Justin.

Iconography and Legacy

  • Artistic Expressions:

    • Jean-Pierre Cortot: Sculpture commemorating the soldier from Marathon announcing victory.

    • Pheidippides: Associated with the famous run, symbolizing determination and victory.

    • Striking Phrase: "RUN LIKE PHEIDIPPIDES, FINISH LIKE SOMEONE ELSE."

    • Symbol of Victory: Nike in artistic representation.

Xerxes

  • Military Campaign:

    • Forces Advance (483 BC):

    • Xerxes leads a massive army towards Greece, showcasing both land and naval capabilities

    • Strategic geographical highlights include:

      • Macedonia

      • Hellespont

      • Thermopylae

      • Artemisium

      • Bottice, Chalcidice, and others.

  • Method of Invasion:

    • Utilized both land and sea force simultaneously, illustrating effective strategic planning.

  • Bridge Construction:

    • Construction of a bridge across the Hellespont as a critical logistical maneuver.

Herodotus: The Father of History

  • Concepts of Hubris:

    • Hubris defined as excessive pride or arrogance which ultimately leads to the downfall of the individual and can apply to the historical accounts chronicled in his work concerning the Greco-Persian Wars.

Themistocles and the Athenian Fleet

  • Strategic Meetings:

    • Various poleis convened at Corinth to decide on a collective defense strategy.

    • Some city-states were already choosing to ally with Persia, termed as “medizing.”

  • Locations of Interest:

    • Discussed strategic battle sites including Corinth and Thermopylae, especially under leadership of Leonidas and his famed “300.”

    • Emphasis on Athens constructing triremes to bolster naval capabilities.

The Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.)

  • Geographical Layout:

    • Key geographical features established such as Asopos River, elevations denoting camp and movements of Greek and Persian forces.

    • Persian Camp and Allied Greek Forces indicated on representations, signifying the strategic placement and eventual points of conflict.

  • Visual Representation:

    • The map illustrates the intricate geographical relationships between allied camps and Persian forces, showing the difficulty the Greeks faced in their last stand against a numerically superior enemy.

  • Terrain:

    • Details include the varying terrain elevations important for tactics, such as the impassable areas identified for strategic advantage or disadvantage in battle.