1. Persian Wars (492–479 BCE)
- Main combatants:
- Persians: The Achaemenid Empire under King Xerxes I led the Persian forces. They were a vast empire that spanned much of the Middle East and parts of Europe and Asia.
- Greeks: The Greeks were a collection of independent city-states, with Athens and Sparta being the most prominent. They formed alliances to resist the Persian invasions.
2. Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE)
- Main combatants:
- Athenians: The Athenians, led by Pericles, were a naval and economic power.
- Spartans: The Spartans, led by King Archidamus, were a military power with a focus on land warfare.
- Allies: Both sides had various city-states and regions allied with them during different phases of the war.