[Prev Page][Contents][Next Page]

The Persian Wars

Persia

Persia was the greatest empire that the ancient world had yet seen. At one time, Assyria had controlled the southern portion of the Middle East, but they were conquered by the Medes. The Medes were famous warriors, feared by all Greeks. But the Persians had conquered Media.

One of the greatest of the Persian kings was Cyrus (d. 530). Cyrus conquered not only Media but Lydia as well. He captured Croesus and subjected him to a humiliating imprisonment and eventual death.

Cyrus was now the ruler of the Ionian Greeks, having more or less inherited them by conquering Lydia. The Greeks did not like their Persian rulers, for the Persians drafted Greeks into their armies, levied heavy tribute, garrisoned Persian troops in the Greek cities, and interfered in the local governments. Soon the Greeks were muttering about Persian oppression and Greek liberty. They began walling their towns and calling war councils. Cyrus responded to this by conquering the Greek cities directly.

The people of Phocis and other city-states, unwilling to submit and unable to resist, packed up their homes and sailed to Italy, to start a new life. Those who remained were incorporated in the Persian Empire.

About this time (530), Cyrus died in battle. The Greeks continued to be unruly subjects, but it was some time before Cyrus' son was able to deal with them.