Greco-Persian Wars

The Greco-Persian Wars were a group of wars fought between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire. They lasted from about 499 BCE to 449 BCE. The Persian Empire was a very large state that controlled much of the Middle East. The Greek world was made up of many independent city-states, such as Athens and Sparta. These wars began when Greek cities in Asia Minor rebelled against Persian rule.

The conflict started with the Ionian Revolt. Greek cities on the coast of Asia Minor, including Miletus, rose up against Persia. Athens sent ships to help the rebels. The revolt failed, but it angered the Persian king Darius I. He decided to punish Athens and bring mainland Greece under Persian control. This decision led to larger wars between Persia and the Greek city-states.

One of the first major battles was the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. Persian forces landed near Athens. The Athenian army, with help from Plataea, fought the Persians on land. The Greeks won the battle. This showed that Persian armies could be defeated. After this defeat, Persia prepared for another invasion.

The next Persian king, Xerxes I, led a much larger invasion in 480 BCE. Persian troops entered Greece by land and sea. At the Battle of Thermopylae, a small Greek force led by Leonidas I of Sparta tried to block the Persian army. The Persians won the battle, but the delay helped other Greek cities prepare. Later that year, the Greek navy defeated the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis.

After Salamis, Persian forces slowly withdrew from Greece. In 479 BCE, Greek armies won another key victory at the Battle of Plataea. This ended the major Persian invasions of Greece. Some fighting continued in the Aegean Sea and Asia Minor. Greek city-states, led mainly by Athens, formed the Delian League to continue resistance against Persia.

The wars ended around 449 BCE with an agreement often called the Peace of Callias. Persia recognized Greek control over some coastal cities. The Greco-Persian Wars changed relations between Greek states. Athens gained power through its navy, while Sparta remained strong on land. These changes later led to conflicts among the Greeks themselves.