Changes

The Persian King Cyrus conquered the Ionian Greek city-states on the western shore of Asia Minor in 546 B.C., but in 499 B.C. Athens encouraged support for a revolution against the Persian empire.  Athens came to the aid of the Ionian city-states when they revolted against their Persian masters.  Other Greek city-states also helped the Ionian city-states.  

The Persian King Cyrus conquered the Ionian Greek city-states on the western shore of Asia Minor in 546 B.C., but in 499 B.C. Athens encouraged support for a revolution against the Persian empire.  Athens came to the aid of the Ionian city-states when they revolted against their Persian masters.  Other Greek city-states also helped the Ionian city-states.  

Furious, Darius suppressed the revolution and then sought to punish Athens in particular.  In 490 B.C., Darius brought his army to the plains of Marathon, just north of Athens and prepared to invade the rich city-state.  Outnumbered ten to one by the Persians, the Athenians sent an athlete named Philippides to run 150 miles to Sparta in an attempt to enlist the aid of the Spartans.  Ironically, the Spartans — with their military-obsessed society — refused to come, as they were in the middle of a festival!  However, Athens proved strong enough to defeat the mighty Persians on her own and won a staggering victory on the plains of Marathon.  Good joggers imitate the long "marathon" run as inspired by the remarkable athlete Philippides.

Furious, Darius suppressed the revolution and then sought to punish Athens in particular.  In 490 B.C., Darius brought his army to the plains of Marathon, just north of Athens and prepared to invade the rich city-state.  Outnumbered ten to one by the Persians, the Athenians sent an athlete named Philippides to run 150 miles to Sparta in an attempt to enlist the aid of the Spartans.  Ironically, the Spartans — with their military-obsessed society — refused to come, as they were in the middle of a festival!  However, Athens proved strong enough on their own to defeat the mighty Persians, and won a stunning victory on the plains of Marathon.  Good joggers imitate the long "marathon" run as inspired by the remarkable athlete Philippides.

Xerxes, who had succeeded Darius, tried again in 480 B.C. to defeat Greece.  This time he had a massive army of 200,000 Persians and a strong navy.  He marched the army to a narrow pass in the mountains at Thermopylae.  But he was met by 300 Spartans, the best soldiers in the world, and they gave their lives to delay the Persians at the pass.  Ultimately the Persians broke through the mountains by using an alternate route given to them by a Greek traitor.  The Persians then conquered and ransacked ("sacked") Athens.  But Athens was able to strike back and defeat the Persian navy at Salamis in 479 B.C., and went on to conquer the Persian army the same year at the Battle of Plataea.  Athens had won and became the dominant city-state.

Xerxes, who had succeeded Darius, tried again in 480 B.C. to defeat Greece.  This time he had a massive army of 200,000 Persians and a strong navy.  He marched the army to a narrow pass in the mountains at Thermopylae.  But he was met by 300 Spartans, the finest soldiers in the world, and they gave their lives to delay the Persians at the pass.  Ultimately the Persians broke through the mountains by using an alternate route given to them by a Greek traitor.  The Persians then conquered and ransacked ("sacked") Athens.  But Athens was able to strike back and defeat the Persian navy at Salamis in 479 B.C., and went on to conquer the Persian army the same year at the Battle of Plataea.  '''Athens had won and became the dominant city-state.

The Athenian triumph in the Persian Wars (with the help of Sparta) in 466 B.C., and the subsequent peace beginning in 450 B.C., catapulted Athens to a great power.  It controlled the sea and commerce.  Pericles (495–429 B.C.) rose to political prominence and rebuilt the Parthenon and other monuments in Athens.  The city encouraged the creation of wealth, and it became the intellectual center of the world.  Many of the most famous thinkers of the ancient world lived there.  The Golden Age of Athens was the period when Pericles held power, also known as the Age of Pericles.  Pericles expanded democracy in Athens by granting the right to hold government offices to all citizens and providing salaries for public service in government and on juries.

The Athenian triumph in the Persian Wars (with the help of Sparta) in 466 B.C., and the subsequent peace beginning in 450 B.C., catapulted Athens to a great power'''.  It controlled the sea and commerce.  Pericles (495–429 B.C.) rose to political prominence and rebuilt the Parthenon and other monuments in Athens.  The city encouraged the creation of wealth, and it became the intellectual center of the world.  Many of the most famous thinkers of the ancient world lived there.  The Golden Age of Athens was the period when Pericles held power, also known as the Age of Pericles.  Pericles expanded democracy in Athens by granting the right to hold government offices to all citizens and providing salaries for public service in government and on juries.

During this period, Athens decided to take advantage of the anti-Persia sentiment that existed throughout Greece, and formed the "Delian League" (477 B.C.).  The alliance consisted of Athens and various other Greek city-states and Aegean towns.  Athens quickly assumed a leadership position and began to control the various allies by imposing taxes and using the League's budget to fund Athenian projects.  During the Pericles Age, Athens began to aggressively expand and used bribes, trickery and often force to gain the cooperation of its allies.  This sparked internal strife amongst the Greek city-states and much animosity towards what had become an Athenian empire.

 

During this period, Athens decided to take advantage of the anti-Persia sentiment that existed throughout Greece, and formed the "Delian League" (477 B.C.).  The alliance consisted of Athens and various other Greek city-states and Aegean towns.  Athens quickly assumed a leadership position and began to control the various allies by imposing taxes and using the League's budget to fund Athenian projects.  But during this Pericles Age of prosperity, immorality began to creep in as Athens started to expand aggressively, using bribes, trickery and often force to gain the cooperation of its allies.  This sparked internal strife amongst the Greek city-states and much animosity towards what had become an Athenian empire.

=== The Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.) ===

=== The Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.) ===