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==History==
==History==
===Roots===
The roots of the Greco-Persian Wars lie in 545 [[BC]], when the Achaemenid Empire conquered and annexed Ionia. While none of the Greek city-states risked sending military units to defend Ionia, the Spartans did send a message to king [[Cyrus the Great]], warning him to stay away from mainland Greece. Upon hearing this message, Cyrus famously replied "Who are the Spartans?".
The roots of the Greco-Persian Wars lie in 545 [[BC]], when the Achaemenid Empire conquered and annexed Ionia. While none of the Greek city-states risked sending military units to defend Ionia, the Spartans did send a message to king [[Cyrus the Great]], warning him to stay away from mainland Greece. Upon hearing this message, Cyrus famously replied "Who are the Spartans?".
Cyrus did not heed the Spartan message. In 514 [[BC]], the Persians conquered [[Thrace]] and [[Macedonia]], angering the Greeks. Ionia had been seen by Cyrus as a logical expansion of the Achaemenid Empire, though Ionia was culturally and tradionally connected to the other Greek-speaking lands around the [[Aegean Sea]].
Cyrus did not heed the Spartan message. In 514 [[BC]], the Persians (led by conquered [[Thrace]] and [[Macedonia]], angering the Greeks. Ionia had been seen by Cyrus as a logical expansion of the Achaemenid Empire, though Ionia was culturally and tradionally connected to the other Greek-speaking lands around the [[Aegean Sea]].
===Eretria and Marathon===
By now, [[Darius I]] had taken control of Persia. In 499 [[BC]], Ionia begins to rebel against Persian rule. As the Ionians and Persians fought, Athens covertly sent supplies to Ionia. The revolts were put down by 493 [[BC]], and Cyrus set his sights on Athens. A Persian amphibious force of nearly 600 ships sailed towards [[Eretria]], easily sacking the city. The force then crossed to the mainland at [[Marathon]], a large, flat plain just north of [[Athens]].
At Marathon, one of the largest battles in [[Classical Antiquity]] took place. Nearly 11,000 Athenians held their own against some 20,000 Persians. After the victory, a Greek soldier by the name of [[Pheidippides]] ran nonstop from Marathon to Athens, to announce the miraculous victory (only 200 Greeks died in the entire battle). This was the inspiration for the marathon race.
''Under Construction''
''Under Construction''