By 500 B.C.E. the Persian Empire had conquered all of the Fertile Crescent. Several Ionian Greek city-states on the west coast of Anatolia decided to revolt against the Persian Empire.
Effects of the War
Delian League!
Athens Golden Age!
Athenians had helped the Ionians rebel against Persia and declared war on Athens and its allies in 492 B.C.E.
Battle of Salamis - 480 BC
Both Athens and Sparta claimed credit for the victory over Persia, which led to problems. Sparta was left very weak after its defeat at Thermopylae, while Athens emerged as the most powerful city-state after rebuilding.
Battle of Salamis - 480 BC
My navy is destroyed !
Athens created the Delian League, as well as rebuilt their city-state and experienced its Golden Age of economic and cultural growth.
(480 BC) Themistocles tricked Xerxes into believing the Athenian navy was retreating and the massive Persian navy pursued them into a small strip of sea off the island of Salamis. The Persian ships were much larger than the Greeks and were not built for confined spaces.
The huge Persian navy found it could not maneuver and was trapped. The much smaller ships of the Athenian navy repeatedly smashed into the Persian warships. Xerxes saw his navy completely destroyed.