1. Battle of Marathon (490 BC):
- The Battle of Marathon was the first major clash between the Persians and the Greeks. A Persian force led by Datis and Artaphernes landed at the Bay of Marathon, northeast of Athens.
- The Athenians, under the leadership of Miltiades, decided to confront the Persians on open ground rather than behind their city walls.
- In a daring and strategic move, the Athenian army charged towards the Persian lines in a wedge formation.
- The Greeks succeeded in breaking the Persian center, forcing them into a chaotic retreat back to their ships.
- The victory at Marathon was a significant triumph for the Greeks and demonstrated the effectiveness of their hoplite phalanx against the Persian cavalry and archery.
2. Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC):
- In 480 BC, the Persian king Xerxes I launched a massive invasion of Greece with a vast army and navy.
- The Greeks formed an alliance and decided to make their stand at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, led by King Leonidas of Sparta.
- Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Greek force, which included 300 Spartans, held off the Persian advance for three days.
- The famous "300 Spartans" and their allies fought valiantly, inflicting heavy casualties on the Persians.
- The battle inspired the Greek city-states to continue their resistance against the Persian invasion.
3. Battle of Salamis (480 BC):
- After Thermopylae, the Persians advanced further into Greece and captured Athens.
- The Greek fleet, under the command of Themistocles, sought refuge in the narrow straits of Salamis near Athens.
- Themistocles lured the larger Persian navy into the straits, where their maneuverability was limited.
- In the ensuing battle, the Greek triremes, with their superior ramming tactics, inflicted severe losses on the Persian fleet.
- The Battle of Salamis was a decisive Greek victory and marked a turning point in the war, as it shattered Persian naval power and forced their retreat from Greece.
These three battles demonstrated the resilience, strategy, and unity of the Greek city-states in the face of a powerful invader. The victories at Marathon, Thermopylae, and Salamis secured Greek independence and preserved Western civilization from Persian domination.