Greek Warfare

Spreading Democracy through the sword!

Phalanx

• A rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, or similar weapons. The troops were disciplined to hold a line which created a nearly impenetrable forest of points to the front .

Trireme

• Refers to a class of warships used by the ancient civilizations

• The early type had three rows of oars on each side, manned with one man per oar

• Fast, quick, and elusive – these were the most sophisticated ships on the seas of the ancient world

Persian Wars

• Persians land at Marathon - 25 miles north of Athens• Athenians are greatly outnumbered so they

launch a surprise attack and defeat the Persians• Athenians send their fastest runner Pheidippides

to relay the message they have won - He sprints 25.2 miles and relay’s the message to the king - when he’s finished he collapses and dies - we now run marathons in his honor

Persian Wars Cont.

• 10years later the Persians return to Thermopylae - A mountain pass north of Athens

• Upon receiving a request from the confederated Greek forces to aid in defending against the Persian invasion, Sparta consulted the Oracle at Delphi. The Oracle is said to have made the following prophecy

"Hear your fate, O dwellers in Sparta of the wide spaces; Either your famed, great town must be sacked by Perseus' sons, Or, if that be not, the whole land of Lacedaemon Shall mourn the death of a king of the house of Heracles, For not the strength of lions or of bulls shall hold him, Strength against strength; for he has the power of Zeus, And will not be checked till one of these two he has consumed.”

Persian Wars Cont.• In August 480 BC, Leonidas set out to meet Xerxes' army at

Thermopylae with 300 of his personal body guards, all with sons to carry on their names, where he was joined by forces from other Greek city-states to defend the pass.

• Leonidas and his men held back the Persians, including the elite Immortals, frontal attacks for the first 2 days, losing very few of their own. On the third day, a traitor named Ephialtes led the Persians to a mountain track to the rear of the Greeks.

• 300 Greeks led by the Spartans hold off the larger Persian force for 3 days to stall until the Navy could

arrive

Persian Wars Cont.• Even though they are defeated they stall until the navy arrives and destroys the Persian fleet at the Battle of Salamis• Oracle says a wall of wood alone shall be uncaptured, a boon to you

and your children– Argument ensues – Build a wall or create ships – Literal or metaphor?

• In 482 BC the Athenian statesman Themistocles used his political skills and influence to persuade the Athenian assembly to start the construction of 200 triremes, The decisive naval clash

occurred at Salamis, where Xerxes' invasion fleet was defeated.

Peloponnesian War

• Athens v. Sparta• After years of unsuccessful fighting the

Spartans turn to their enemy the Persians for help (Navy)

• War and plague strikes Athens - kills 1/3 of the Athenian Population

The Rise of Alexander• Phillip II unites all the individual tribes• His son Alexander is to be the next King - His

mother out maneuvered other mothers to win her son the crown

• Conquers 2/3 of the known world including the Persian Empire

• Dies suddenly trying to conquer India• Spreads Hellenistic Culture - Blend of Greek,

Egyptian, Persian, and Indian Culture• At his death his empire is divided into 4 sections