History Shorts: Ancient Greece and others (1250-320 B.C.)

The Sea Peoples (1200-1150 BC):
http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/sea-peoples-and-death-of-civilizations.html

Trojan War (1200 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-trojan-war-1200-bc.html

Rise of Greek City States (800 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-rise-of-greek-city.html

The First Olympics (776 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-first-olympics-776-bc.html

The Draconian Code (621 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/draconian-code-621-bc.html

Solon and Athenian Reform (594 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-solon-and-athenian.html

Confucius (551-479 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-confucius-551-bc-479-bc.html

Cyrus the Great (559 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-cyrus-great-forms.html

Buddha (528 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/11/history-shorts-buddha-attains.html

Marathon (490 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-battle-of-marathon-490.html

300 Spartans (480 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-300-spartans-at.html

Plataea and the end of the Persian War (479 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-plataea-and-end-of.html

Parthenon (447 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2010/12/history-shorts-parthenon-construction.html

The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/01/history-shorts-peloponnesian-war-431.html

The Death of Socrates (399 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/02/history-shorts-death-of-socrates-399-bc.html

The Death of Plato (347 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/02/history-shorts-death-of-plato-347-bc.html

Philip of Macedon Assassinated (336 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/search/label/History%20Shorts?max-results=20

Alexander and Gaugamela:

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/02/history-shorts-alexander-great-and.html

Alexander’s Death (323 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/03/history-shorts-alexander-greats-death.html

Aristotle’s Death (322 BC):

http://cicero390.blogspot.com/2011/03/history-shorts-aristotles-death-322-bc.html

History Shorts: The Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.)

Athens angered many of their neighbors. Following the Persian War, the Greeks formed a defensive alliance in the event of a Persian return. Athens came to dominate this Delian League and grew into a superpower that bullied its neighbors. Eventually, Sparta and Athens came to blows launching a conflict which lasted nearly 30 years.

The Peloponnesian War can be split into three phases. During the first phase (431-421 B.C.), Sparta assaulted Athenian interests in Attica. In 421 B.C., the two sides signed the Peace of Nicias ending hostilities. The second phase (415-413 B.C.) began when Alcibiades convinced Athenians to relaunch the war with an invasion of Syracuse. The invasion proved disastrous for Athens. Alcibiades ended up switching sides ushering in the third phase (413-404 B.C.) The final phase of the war witnessed an unlikely alliance between Persia and Sparta. The destruction of the Athenian fleet essentially ended the conflict.

The war devastated Athens. It never again threatened its neighbors. Athens' days as a superpower had ended. The victorious Spartans were mortally wounded in the conflict. The Macedonians eventually conquered all of Greece ushering in the age of Alexander.

Here is a clever video on the Peloponnesian War:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZzyuw_lBTM

Turning Points: The Peloponnesian War (431-401 BC)

Following the Persian War, Athenian power rose unchallenged. They formed the Delian League which was meant to defend Greece against Persia. However, as the Persian threat never returned, the Athenians turned the League into their Empire. They went as far as using Delian League revenue for the beautification of Athens. When we think of the Greek Golden Age of art and architecture, this is it.

Delian League members resented Athenian power and dominance. Eventually, Sparta felt threatened and war broke out. Athens held the advantage at sea while Sparta held the advantage on land. As a result, Athenian leader Pericles’ strategy was to avoid combat on land. He pulled the population inside the Walls of Athens. Sparta devastated the land, but a stalemate developed. Neither side could win. On top of this, the boneheaded Athenian strategy led to an outbreak of plague which killed Pericles and many Athenians. The war’s first stage ended in 421 BC with the Peace of Nicias.

In 415 BC, the war began anew. Athenian aristocrat Alcibiades persuaded his fellow citizens to renew the war. Athenian general Nicias tried to dissuade the voters from going back to war with Sparta. He put forth a well thought out logical argument for keeping the peace. On the other hand, Alcibiades made an Obama-esque appeal to the population. Fluff trumped logic. Athens invaded Sicily and got creamed.

After the destruction of the Athenian Expeditionary Force, Alcibiades switched sides lest he face the death penalty for the Athenian military disaster. Meanwhile, Sparta launched a new offensive. In 413 BC, Sparta supported rebellions against Athens throughout the Greek world. In particular, Athens lost key ports to these rebellions. This nullified their naval superiority. Sparta, with Persian financial assistance, was able to finally defeat Athens. The Athenians sued for Peace.

After the surrender, Athenian democracy was suspended. They were ruled by the “Thirty Tyrants” for a short period. Athenian power was broken. Sparta continued to be a power until they were defeated in 371 BC by Thebes. Eventually, the Macedonians conquered both. As a side note, the defeat of Athens led to the rise of Greek Philosophers such as Socrates and Plato that held democracy in contempt.

The Persian War 490-479 BC

Think the War on Terror began in 2001? It's more like 490 BC. The current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are nothing more than a continuation of a war that began 2500 years ago. It has had different names (Persian War, Crusades, War on Terror). It has had different protagonists (Xerxes, Saladin, Osama and Alexander, Richard, George). It has had different excuses for starting over again (Empire, Religion, Democracy). The East is very aware of this history and celebrate Xerxes and Saladin while lamenting defeats in France and Austria. While the West is clueless about the past. Regardless, one day 2500 years ago, the Persians conquered Greek colonies in Asia minor. That signalled the beginning of a conflict that wages to this day.

In 499 BC, several Greek City states in Asia Minor revolted against Persian rule. Athens supported these revolts. The Greeks won an short lived victory and reestablished rule by 493 BC. The Persians wanted to teach the mainland Greeks a lesson for interfering.

The Persian Empire was the greatest at the time and the Greece was a little backwater. In 492, Emperor Darius sent ambassadors to many Greek cities demanding their surrender. The Spartans tossed them into a well. Athens also executed the ambassadors. Persia could not turn a blind eye to the insult and invaded Attica.

The Persian assault was relentless. Eritrea was razed to the ground and all survivors sold into slavery. The invasion was stopped cold by Athens at Marathon. Following the disastrous defeat, Darius prepared for a full scale invasion.

It took ten years to launch a second invasion. Internal strife, an Egyptian revolt, and Darius’ death slowed the Persians. In 480, there was nothing left to stop Persia. The new Emperor, Xerxes, brought a fleet of 1200 ships and 200,000 men to Greece. Only 300 Spartans stood in the way. After an effective delaying action by Leonidas and the 300 at Thermopylae, Persia ran wild in Attica while the Greeks retreated. The Spartans bought the rest of Greece time to regroup.

Following the destruction of Athens, the Greeks defeated Persia at sea and on land. At Salamis, the Persian fleet was sunk. At Plataea, the Greeks defeated the Persian army. Xerxes’ folly meant Western culture would soon flourish and begin it’s long rise to dominance. Had the Persians won the war, democracy may have died and Greece’s Golden Age would never have occurred. Xerxes is a hero in Iran today. The Greek view of Xerxes is still felt today. Watch the movie 300. Xerxes is still a fool 2500 years later.