close-rank, dense grouping of warriors
armed with long spears and interlocking shields
soldiers would advance slowly toward the enemy, until they broke through their rankslook at how little and insignificant Greece appears
look at how big the Persian Empire is
Persians have a huge army, and nearly unlimited resources
this beatdown shouldn’t take long!

iron weapons meant ordinary citizens could afford to arm themselves

foot soldiers (hoplites) trained from an early age

armed with spears, swords, shields

often fought in phalanx formation

“home field” advantage

motivated to preserve democracy

first archers (do damage from a distance)

then cavalry (they disrupt communication between generals and soldiers)

then lightly armored infantry (carried spear, sword, and bow)

huge numbers

long way from home

professional army (soldiers for hire, or mercenaries)

546 BC: Persians conquer Greeks in Ionia

499-494 BC: Ionian revolt (Athens helps)

Darius the Great defeats these rebels and vows revenge on Athens

490 BC: Persian fleet attacks Marathon, but loses (run, Pheidippides, run!)

480 BC: Xerxes (Darius’ son) conducts massive assault on Athens

480 BC: Greeks (especially 300 Spartans) hold their own at Themopylae

480 BC: Greeks abandon Athens to fight Persia at sea, winning at Straits of Salamis

victorious Greeks form Delian League