Greece+and+Persia

Persian Empire
toc Around 1200 BC, some Indo-European people from Central Asia moved south into West Asia. These people were called the Persians and the Medes. The Persians and the Medes were distantly related to the Scythians, the Hittites, the Greeks and the Romans, and they spoke a related language. Like the Scythians, the Medes and the Persians were nomadic people. They traveled around Central Asia with their horses and their cattle, and grazed the cattle and the horses on the great fields of grass there. Usually they lived well enough this way. But sometimes the weather was worse than usual, and the Medes and Persians could not find enough to eat. This time, when that happened, the Medes and Persians headed south into West Asia. Maybe they had heard that there were Dark Ages there and they thought it would be easy to take over. Maybe they just thought it would be nicer in the south, where it was warmer.

The Medes and the Persians settled in what is now Iran, and we don't hear much about them until about 600 BC. Probably they could not fight the Assyrians and didn't try to. But by 600 BC the Assyrians were getting weaker. At this time the Medes and the Persians combined into one group, under one king. At first the Medes were in charge, but in 559 BC Cyrus, who was a Persian, made himself king, and from then on the Persians were in charge. Cyrus (SIGH-russ) soon also conquered the whole rest of West Asia: the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Jews, the Phoenicians and the Syrians, and also the Lydians and the Greeks in modern Turkey. He is remembered as a good ruler. He managed to unify a very diverse group of people, with many different languages and religions. At the same time, he allowed each group to keep their own religion. This is especially surprising because he himself had recently converted to Zoroastrianism and clearly felt strongly about his new faith. Cyrus ruled through fear and tolerance. Once people were conquered, he showed them much generosity. For example, after conquering Fertile Crescent lands, he freed the Hebrew people from Babylonian rule. As a result, the Hebrews viewed Cyrus as a liberator and supported him. Cyrus’ tolerant approach toward different religions also gained him much support. Because of this, his subjects seldom revolted and usually lived in peace. This made governing the empire an easier task.

Cyrus was a skillful ruler. He adopted a policy of toleration toward the people he conquered. For example, he allowed them to speak their own languages, practice their own religions, and follow their own ways of life. He also declared the first Charter of Human Rights. Etched on a clay cylinder, this charter set forth Cyrus’ goals and policies. His respect for the people made Cyrus popular and made it easier for him to create a peaceful and stable empire. When Cyrus died in 530 BC, his son Cambyses (cam-BYE-sees) became king. Cambyses added Egypt to the Persian Empire, beating an Egyptian army that also had many Greek soldiers fighting for pay. But according to Herodotus Cambyses suffered from severe mental illness later in his life, and eventually his own people killed him.

In 521 BC Darius (da-RYE-us), who was a Persian and a Zoroastrian but only a distant cousin of Cyrus and Cambyses, seized the throne. He moved the Persian capital to the new city of Persepolis, and hired workmen from all over to work on the new buildings there. Sculptors came from as far away as Greece to work on the Persian palace at Persepolis. Darius also started use of a Royal Road that allowed messages, soldiers, and mail to be sent quickly across the empire. The Royal Road enhanced communications and enabled Cyrus to receive news from all areas of his vast domain. This allowed him to put down uprisings quickly, defend his borders, and send his commands. He promoted trade and business and established a law code. The Persian Empire would have a long life because of the efforts of Darius.

The Persians were tolerant of the beliefs and cultures of the peoples that they had conquered. They allowed them to continue living their lives in the manner that their cultures dictated. This stood in stark contrast to the Assyrians who had enforced their rule through fear. This tolerance lead to the people accepting their Persian conquerors. Persian Kings ruled by appointing local governors called Satraps. These satraps enforced the laws and decrees of the king. Additionally the King appointed traveling eyes and ears to make unscheduled visits to the Satraps in order to insure that they remained loyal.

The Persians Fight Greece
After the Ionian Revolt of 499 BC, the Persians and their king Darius wanted to conquer Greece more than ever. Persia wanted to extend its territory. Also, the Greeks had helped the Ionians to revolt against the Persians, and had marched to Sardis and burned the city. The Persians condemned the Greeks as invading terrorists. But what was the best way for the Persians to take over Greece? By land or by sea? The Persians had tried the land way in 514 BC when they attacked the Scythians. But they had lost. So this time the Persians decided to attack by sea. They decided to start from Ionia (modern Turkey) and try to conquer Athens. The Persians were especially mad at the Athenians because the Athenians had invaded Anatolia during the Ionian Revolt. Then, if they got Athens, maybe they would attack the rest of Greece.

The Persians knew a lot about Athens and the best way to attack Athens from the exiled Athenian tyrant Hippias, who was living at the court of Darius now. Hippias was angry that the Athenians had thrown him out, and he was hoping to get back into power in Athens with Persian help. By the fall of 490 BC the Persians were ready. The Persian ships, carrying the cavalry, sailed over to Greece, looting islands on the way. Their first stop was to take Eretria, on the island of Euboea (you-BEE-ah). When the Persians got to Eretria, the people all went inside their walls and shut the big city gates. Usually at this time people were pretty safe once they were inside their walls. The Persians didn’t have any weapons that could break down strong stone walls. But some of the Eretrians were afraid of the Persians anyway, and one of them opened a back door for the Persians in the middle of the night, and so the Persian army got in and took over Eretria through this treachery.

Marathon
The battle of Marathon is one of history's most famous military engagements. It is also one of the earliest recorded battles. Their victory over the Persian invaders gave Greek city states confidence in their ability to defend themselves and belief in their continued existence. The battle is therefore considered a defining moment in the development of European culture.

In September of 490 BC a Persian armada of 600 ships disgorged an invasion force of approximately 20,000 infantry and cavalry on Greek soil just north of Athens. Their mission was to crush the Greek states in retaliation for their support of their Ionian cousins who had revolted against Persian rule.

Undaunted by the numerical superiority of the invaders, Athens mobilized 10,000 hoplite warriors to defend their territory. The two armies met on the Plain of Marathon twenty-six miles north of Athens. The flat battlefield surrounded by hills and sea was ideal for the Persian cavalry. Surveying the advantage that the terrain and size of their force gave to the Persians, the Greek generals hesitated.

One of the Greek generals - Miltiades - made a passionate plea for boldness and convinced his fellow generals to attack the Persians. Miltiades ordered the Greek hoplites to form a line equal in length to that of the Persians. Then - in an act that his enemy believed to be complete madness - he ordered his Greek warriors to attack the Persian line at a dead run. In the ensuing melee, the middle of the Greek line weakened and gave way, but the flanks were able to engulf and slaughter the trapped Persians. An estimated 6,400 Persians were slaughtered while only 192 Greeks were killed.

The remaining Persians escaped on their ships and made an attempt to attack what they thought was an undefended Athens. However, the Greek warriors made a forced march back to Athens and arrived in time to thwart the Persians.

Athens
Athens had a democracy. Every Athenian man was a member of an assembly, which met to discuss issues concerning Athens. Each citizen was allowed to speak and give his opinion at these assemblies. Each year a council consisting of 500 citizens was chosen by lot. The council manged the city and decided what should be discussed at the assemblies. citizens also took turns as judges and public officials. This open minded attitude extended into other aspects of Athenian life. Artists, writers, philosophers, architects, and scientists flourished in Athens.

In ancient Athens, the purpose of education was to produce citizens trained in the arts, and to prepare citizens for both peace and war.Until age 6 or so, boys were taught at home by their mother or by a male slave. From age 6 to 14, boys went to a neighborhood primary school or to a private school. Books were very expensive and rare, so subjects were read out-loud, and the boys had to memorize everything. To help them learn, they used writing tablets and rulers.In primary school, they had to learn two important things - the words of Homer, a famous Greek epic poet, and how to play the lyre. Their teacher, who was always a man, could choose what additional subjects he wanted to teach. He might choose to teach drama, public speaking, government, art, reading, writing, math, and how to play another ancient Greek instrument - the flute.Following that, boys attended a higher school for four more years. When they turned 18, they entered military school for two additional years. At age 20, they graduated.Girls were not educated at school, but many learned to read and write at home in the comfort of their courtyard.

**Sparta**
Sparta, on the other hand, was ruled by two kings and a council. They did not have a democracy. This type of government worked well for Spartans who were not interested in the finer things in life that the Athenians pursued. Spartan life was simple. There was no art, music, poetry, or fine clothing. They cared little for ideas or new invention. Their whole existence was built around war and military discipline. beginning at age seven, all men were trained as soldiers. They were given little food and were treated harshly to make them ready for the hardships of war. Even women were required to become strong and healthy so that they could have strong and healthy children. the Spartan army was strong and feared throughout the area.

In ancient Sparta, the purpose of education was to produce a well-drilled, well-disciplined marching army. Spartans believed in a life of discipline, self-denial, and simplicity. They were very loyal to the state of Sparta. Every Spartan, male or female, was required to have a perfect body. When babies were born in ancient Sparta, Spartan soldiers would come by the house and check the baby. If the baby did not appear healthy and strong, the infant was taken away, and left to die on a hillside, or taken away to be trained as a slave (a helot). Babies who passed this examination were assigned membership in a brotherhood or sisterhood, usually the same one to which their father or mother belonged.

Spartan Boys: Spartan boys were sent to military school at age 6 or 7. They lived, trained and slept in the barracks of their brotherhood. They were taught survival skills and other skills necessary to be a great soldier. School courses were very hard and often painful. Although students were taught to read and write, those skills were not very important to the ancient Spartans. Only warfare mattered. The boys were not fed well, and were told that it was fine to steal food as long as they did not get caught stealing. If they were caught, they were beaten. The boys marched without shoes to make them stronger. It was a brutal training period.

Legend says ... A young Sparta boy once stole a live fox, planning to kill it and eat it. He noticed some Spartan soldiers approaching. In ancient Sparta, students were encouraged to steal, but the trick was that you could not get caught stealing. If you were caught, you were severely beaten.As the soldiers approached, the boy hid the fox beneath his shirt. While the soldiers quizzed him on why he was not in school, the boy let the fox chew into his stomach rather than confess he had stolen it. He did not allow his face or body to express his pain.That was the Spartan way. Lie, cheat, steal, and get away with it, or else (you would be in big trouble!)

Somewhere between the age of 18-20, Spartan males had to pass a difficult test of fitness, military ability, and leadership skills. Any Spartan male who did not pass these examinations became a perioikos. (The perioikos, or the middle class, were allowed to own property, have business dealings, but had no political rights and were not citizens.)If they passed, they became a full citizen and a Spartan soldier. Spartan citizens were not allowed to touch money. That was the job of the middle class. Spartan soldiers spent most of their lives with their fellow soldiers. They ate, slept, and continued to train in their brotherhood barracks. Even if they were married, they did not live with their wives and families. They lived in the barracks. Military service did not end until a Spartan male reached the age of 60. At age 60, a Spartan soldier could retire and live in their home with their family.

Spartan Girls: In Sparta, girls also went to school at age 6 or 7. They lived, slept and trained in their sisterhood's barracks. No one knows if their school was as cruel or as rugged as the boys school, but the girls were taught wrestling, gymnastics, and combat skills. Some historians believe the two schools were very similar, and that an attempt was made to train the girls as thoroughly as they trained the boys. In any case, the Spartans believed that strong young women would produce strong babies. At age 18, if a Sparta girl passed her skills and fitness test, she would be assigned a husband and allowed to return home. If she failed, she would lose her rights as a citizen, and became a perioikos, a member of the middle class.