The
Persian Wars: Greece's Finest Hours
Part
1: Two Giants Collide
Conflict
between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire was
probably inevitable. They were too big and too close
together and also too ambitious to not have clashed.
And
in 499 B.C., they clashed.
For
several decades
leading up to this clash, Greeks had settled in Asia Minor,
on the western coast. The Persians then conquered these
colonies and added them to the Empire. The Greeks living in
these colonies were used to having their own government of
elected officials. Athens was the birthplace of democracy.
They soon revolted against the Persians; and in 499, their
fellow Greeks (specifically, Athens) sent troops to support
this revolt.
 This
was the beginning of the Persian Wars.
Even
with Athens' help, the colonies didn't hold out long against
the much larger and stronger Persian army. And when the
revolt was crushed, Persian Emperor Darius wanted to punish
Athens for aiding the Asia Minor colonies.
A
few years later, when his army was trained and ready, Darius
led his troops on an invasion of Greece. They sailed to the
Bay of Marathon, where one of the most famous battles of all
time took place.
Battle
of Marathon
Next
page > The
Greek Victories
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Graphics
courtesy of ArtToday
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