The Persian Wars
Expansion of Persian Empire
Herodotus' History and Croesus of Lydia
Cyrus of Persia - expansion of empire
- conquest of Media
- conquest of Lydia
- conquest of Babylon
Cambyses
- conquest of Egypt
- Smerdis - brother or pretender
Darius
Ionian Revolt
Aristagoras of Miletus - the Naxos Debacle - 499
Athenians assist in the burning of Sardis - 498
Persians crush revolt - Battle of Lade, Sack of Miletus - 494
Phrynichus and the Sack of Miletus - 493
Mardonius' expedition wrecked at Athos - 492
Darius' Invasion
Demand for earth and water - Medizing states - 491
Aegina crisis
Invasion at Marathon
Miltiades and the Alcmaionids at Marathon
Plataian allies
Spartan aid comes too late
- Phidippides the runner
- the Spartan Carnea
Athenian Self-Definition: the Saviors of Greece against the Barbarian
The Heroes of Marathon
Athens after Marathon
Themistokles and Ostracism - 487
Archons chosen by lot
Aristides the Just - ostracized 482
The Delphic Oracle and the Persian Invasion
Athens' "wooden walls" - Themistokles and the new fleet
Xerxes' Invasion
Medizing Greek States
Thessaly - the first line of defense
Battle of Thermopylae - the Spartan moment
- Leonidas the king of Sparta
- Ephialtes the traitor
Battle of Artemisium - aid from Boreas
Evacuation of Athens and the Wall at the Isthmus
Xerxes' Invasion
Battle of Salamis
- Themistokles the trickster
- Aeschylus' The Persians
Retreat of Xerxes and the fleet
Mardonius' campaign
- Battle of Plataea
- Battle of Mycale
| 560-546 | Croesus king in Lydia | |
| 559 | Cyrus becomes king of Persia | |
| 550 | Cyrus conquers Media | |
| 546 | Cyrus conquers Lydia | |
| 546-528 | Pisistratus' final tyranny at Athens | |
| 539 | Cyrus conquers Babylon | |
| 530 | Death of Cyrus, accession of Cambyses | |
| 525 | Persian conquest of Egypt | |
| 521 | Darius takes power in Persia | |
| 520-490 | Cleomenes King of Sparta | |
| 514 | Harmodios and Aristogeiton assassinate Hipparchos | |
| 512 | Darius conquers Thrace | |
| 510 | Expulsion of the Pisistratids from Athens | |
| 508/7 | Isagoras Archon at Athens; reforms of Cleisthenes | |
| 501/500 | Board of Ten Generals instituted at Athens | |
| 499 | Ionian revolt begins | |
| 498 | Sardis burned by Ionians; Cleomenes wins Battle of Sepeia | |
| 497 | Revolt quelled on Cyprus | |
| 494 | Battle of Lade; Sack of Miletus | |
| 493/2 | Themistokles archon at Athens; Phrynichus - Sack of Miletus | |
| 492 | Mardonius' expedition wrecked in storm off Athos | |
| 491 | Persians demand earth and water; Aeginetan crisis | |
| 490 | Battle of Marathon - Persians retreat; Death of Cleomenes | |
| 487/6 | Ostracisms and choice of archons by lot instituted at Athens | |
| 483 | Persians dig Athos canal; new vein at Laurium silver mine | |
| 482 | Aristides ostracized; new Athenian fleet built | |
| 480 | Persian invasion; Battles of Artemisium, Thermopylae, Salamis | |
| 479 | Battles of Plataea and Mycale |