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The '''Greco-Persian Wars''', also known as the '''Medic Wars''' (500 - 448 B.C.) were a series of conflicts fought between the [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] [[Achaemenid Empire]] (in modern [[Iran]], led by [[Xerxes]]) and the [[Greek]] [[city-states]] (most notably [[Athens]] and [[Sparta]]). The war may be best known for the [[Battle of Thermopylae]], which has given birth to many cultural references even to this day.

The '''Greco-Persian Wars''' (500 BC - 448 BC), also known as the '''Medic Wars''', were a series of conflicts fought between the [[Achaemenid Empire]] (in modern [[Iran]], led by [[Xerxes]]) and the [[Greek]] [[city-states]] (most notably [[Athens]] and [[Sparta]]). The war may be best known for the [[Battle of Thermopylae]], which has given birth to many cultural references even to this day.

==History==

==History==

===Thermopylae===     

===Thermopylae===     

By 481 B.C., A large Persian force (described as five million by [[Herodotus]], but estimates range from this figure to as low as 200,000, which is still a substantial size) had been assembled to march along the northern coast of the Aegean into Greece. This was accompanied by a large navy, which sailed down the coast alongside the troops. This was disturbing to the Greek city states, who convened at the [[Isthmus of Corinth]] to discuss the threat caused by the Persians. A loose alliance of several city-states, led by King [[Leonidas]] of Sparta, and including around 5,200 troops was organized, and chose to hold a narrow mountain pass called Thermopylae. Despite great success In the first two days, the Greek alliance was compromised when a small Persian force found a route around the pass. The 300 Spartan and 700 Thespian soldiers volunteered to hold the pass the next day and allow the other city-states (Athens, Mantineia, Tegea, Corinth, Phocia, Floia, Thebes, Arcadia, and Mycenae) to retreat to fight again.

By 481 B.C., A large Persian force (described as two million by [[Herodotus]], but estimates range from this figure to as low as 200,000, which is still a substantial size) had been assembled to march along the northern coast of the Aegean into Greece. This was accompanied by a large navy, which sailed down the coast alongside the troops. This was disturbing to the Greek city states, who convened at the [[Isthmus of Corinth]] to discuss the threat caused by the Persians. A loose alliance of several city-states, led by King [[Leonidas]] of Sparta, and including around 5,200 troops was organized, and chose to hold a narrow mountain pass called Thermopylae. Despite great success In the first two days, the Greek alliance was compromised when a small Persian force found a route around the pass. The 300 Spartan and 700 Thespian soldiers volunteered to hold the pass the next day and allow the other city-states (Athens, Mantineia, Tegea, Corinth, Phocia, Floia, Thebes, Arcadia, and Mycenae) to retreat to fight again.

===Salamis===

===Salamis===