Persian Wars & Ancient Athens: History & Culture
The Persian Wars
The Persians were a people who had settled in the country that is now Iran around 2000 BC. Under Darius I (by 485 BC), they had built a vast empire, one of the most powerful of the ancient world.
The Battle of Marathon
The Persians conquered Ionia (a Greek colony in Asia Minor). Eretria and Athens initially supported Ionia with ships and men but later withdrew their help. King Darius led an invasion against Eretria and crushed it. Then, his army landed at Marathon. The Greeks won in Marathon thanks to their tactics and the hoplite phalanx.
A runner was sent to Athens to inform them about the victory. Just after announcing it, he dropped dead from exhaustion. Modern marathon races are named after this event.
The Second Invasion: Thermopylae
Darius’s son, Xerxes, led another invasion into Greek territory. He ordered the construction of two huge bridges of ships to cross the Hellespont. The first battle happened in Thermopylae, a narrow mountain pass, where the Spartan general Leonidas fought with a small force. He and his men were slaughtered, but they allowed the rest of the Greek army to flee to safety. The Persians then marched on Athens and set fire to the Acropolis.
Decline of Persia: The Battle of Salamis
An Athenian politician named Themistocles was convinced that the best chance against the Persians was at sea. In a narrow strip of water between the island of Salamis and the Greek mainland, the Greeks took the Persians by surprise and destroyed the Persian ships. The Greek ships were more agile.
The City of Athens: 500 to 336 BC
A City of Culture
Athens prospered in the years of peace after the Persian Wars. The city was rebuilt. From 479 to 431 BC, Athens attracted the best artists and scholars of the time. They developed ideas about art, architecture, literature, and politics that influenced the basis of modern European civilization.
The Early Years
The earliest settlement is known as the Acropolis. It was built on a high hill because it was easy to defend.
Naming the City
According to legend, Poseidon and Athena were fighting for the name of the city. Poseidon offered them riches, but Athena planted an olive tree. The people liked it so much that Athens was named in her honor. The area around the olive tree became a sacred place.
Important Buildings
- Agora: The main meeting area in the city, it was a large open marketplace surrounded by buildings.
- Bouleuterion: This is where the city council held its meetings.
- Tholos: The leaders of the city council had their meetings here.
- Court of Justice: Situated on a hill called Areopagus, named after Ares, the god of war.
- Temple: A temple dedicated to the god of metal smiths and craftsmen.
- Acropolis: The main route of the city was called the Panathenaic Way. It was used after a festival.
Acropolis
The Parthenon
- The main temple in Athens, it was dedicated to the goddess Athena.
- Designed by Ictinus and constructed of white marble, brightly painted.
- Now in ruins.
The Golden Statue
- There were statues of Athena all over the Acropolis.
- The largest and most expensive was the enormous statue of Athena Parthenos.
- It was inside the Parthenon and was about 12 meters high.
- It was made of wood and ivory with robes of gold.