help! persian attack->greece 490 due 2moro! (1 Viewer)

[strappleberry]

hey peoples,
definately in need of help asap. ancient history assessment due tomorrow and no idea what to write.
question is: explain the reasons for the Persian attack on Greece in 490 B.C.
any info would be really really helpful, no matter how great or small, or any suggetions for websites etc to look up.

 

[The Bograt]

They were desperately trying to expand their empire east, Im pretty sure because they needed more land for their huge population.
That is something to start on Ill try think of some other stuff..

Yeah the Ionian states on the (then) Turkish coastline acted as a buffer between the Greeks and Persians, as the Persians moved more and more east, the buffer between them diminished. I think the Greeks decided to respond once the Persians went passed Thrace, crossed the Danube then went into Scythia.

Hope that helps

 

[classics_chic]

They needed more land constantly because they were a herding culture, but that's not the whole story.

They also wanted to get back at the Athenians because of what happened when the Spartans tried to take over (known as the Athenian Revolt, before this time period, but good background). The Spartans were trying to make the Athenians join the Peloponnesian League (they were scared of the thought that the Athenians were growing in significance, and hated the idea of democracy). Two things happened at the same time: nobles went and submitted to the Persians (earth and water) in exchange for help, and the Athenian common people ('demos') defeated the Spartans with the Athenian revolt (much disputed time in history, don't need to know about that). The nobles got into trouble when they got home and the Athenian people said 'stuff the Persians'. That really annoyed Darius (hence "remember the Athenians" -see Herodotos), who vowed to get them next time he could. That happened to be the Ionian Revolt, and, as they say, the rest is history...