Origins and outcomes of the Greco-Persian Wars

Persian - Greek Wars

The origins of the conflict on the part of the Persians

The Greco-Persian wars were conflicts that took place five centuries before our era between the Greek city states and the Persian Empire. Around the year 560 BC, Persian emperor Croesus went to conquer the Greek city states in Asia Minor and forced them into paying an annual tribute to the "King of Kings."

The Persians dreamed of expanding world wide and had a strong desire to set the grounds for the largest empire known to mankind. Their aspirations were fed by Greece's rich land for agriculture and several working and fighting skills they possessed.

Development of the conflict throughout time

However immense was the Persians' determination to conquer Greece, the city states were unwilling to surrender. In 499 BC the Greeks launched the Ionian Revolt against the Persian persecutors. In 490 BC Persian King Darius I wanted to punish the rebellion and attacked the Greeks at Attica. He was defeated in what is today known as the Battle of Marathon.

In 480, Darius' successor Xerxes I reached Attica and managed to burn down the city of Athens. Having evacuated the city, the Greeks were once again able to defeat the Persians in the Battle of Salamis.

Even if defeated, the Persians were yet highly determined to add the developed city states of Greece to their wast empire. Probably among the reasons behind the continuous attacks were Greeks' unwillingness to surrender which provoked the Persians' anger.

Ending the war

Twenty years after the commence of Persian attacks, Greek military general Themistocles managed to obviate the Persian threat over Greece. "The Greek victory was aided by the strategy of Themistocles. Xerxes returned to Persia. [...] the defeat of this army in 479 at Plataea near Thebes by a Greek army under the Spartan Pausanias and a Greek naval victory at Mycale on the coast of Asia Minor ended all danger from Persian invasions of Europe." (the History Channel, Persian Wars)

Consequences of the wars

After vanquishing the Persian power, the Greeks earned a reputation for possessing the most powerful fleet. Still not trusting the complete defeat of the Persians, some Greeks did not return to their homes in Athens. Following the victory, the Greek city states along with other islands and Sparta formed the Delian League.

During the decades that followed Xerxes' defeat, Athens became a major cultural center. Tourists came from all over Greece to observe the tragedies performed in honor of the gods." (Greece: A Political, Social and Cultural History, p. 201). Had it not been for the numerous Persian attacks on the country, Greece would have been able to develop sooner into the center of arts.