Greco-Persian Wars

In 499 BC, a great war began between Greek city states and the Persian empire, ruled by Darius. Ionian Greek city states revolted against persian rule and Athens supported them. This caused king Darius to invade Greece in 490 BC, after putting down the earlier Ionian revolt. First, the Greek defeated the Persians at marathon. then, Greek forces, led by spartans and king Leonidas defended the pass at Thermopylae against the onslaught brought by king Xerxes. Then, the persians sacked and burned Athens. They also went to fight the greeks at the strait of salamis. The athenian navy tricked the persians to fight in the narrow strait, where they were destroyed by greek warships that smashed and sunk them. Finally, Greeks ended the was by defeating the Persians at Pataea.