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Battle of Thermopylae
Thermopylae is a mountain pass near the sea in northern Greece which was the site of several battles in antiquity, the most famous being that between Persians and Greeks in August 480 BCE. Despite being greatly inferior in numbers, the Greeks...

Definition
Alexander I the Philhellene
Alexander I of Macedon, also known as Alexander I the Philhellene ('friend of the Greeks') or 'The Wealthy', was king of ancient Macedon from around 498 to 454 BCE. He is known for the role he played in the second Persian invasion of Greece...

Article
The Delian League, Part 1: Origins Down to the Battle of Eurymedon (480/79-465/4 BCE)
This text is part of an article series on the Delian League. The modern term Delian League refers to the primarily maritime συμμᾰχία or symmachy (offensive-defensive alliance) among various Greek poleis, which emerged after the second Mede...

Article
The Delian League, Part 4: The Ten Years War (431/0-421/0 BCE)
This text is part of an article series on the Delian League. The fourth phase of the Delian League encompasses the first part of the Great Peloponnesian War, also referred to as the Ten Years War, sometimes called quite incorrectly The Archidamian...

Definition
Peloponnesian War
The Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies came in two stages: from c. 460 to 446 and from 431 to 404 BCE. With battles at home and abroad, the long and complex conflict was damaging to both sides. Sparta...

Definition
Battle of Salamis
The Battle of Salamis was a naval battle between Greek and Persian forces in the Saronic Gulf, Greece in September 480 BCE. The Greeks had recently lost the Battle of Thermopylae and drawn the naval Battle at Artemision, both in August 480...

Article
The Greek Phalanx
One of the most effective and enduring military formations in ancient warfare was that of the Greek phalanx. The age of the phalanx may be traced back to Sumeria in the 25th century BCE, through Egypt, and finally appearing in Greek literature...

Video
The Persian Wars: Ancient Greece vs. the Achaemenid Persian Empire
The Persian Wars, also known as the Greco Persian Wars, were a series of battles fought between Ancient Greece and the Achaemenid Persian Empire in the 5th century BCE. The most famous of these battles are the Battle of Marathon, the Battle...

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Battle of Salamis, 480 BCE
The distribution of the respective fleets of the Greek allied states (blue) against the Persian forces of Xerxes (red), 480 BCE. The Greeks would outmanoeuvre the Persians in the shallow waters of the straights and win a victory which would...

Collection
Warfare in Classical Greece
The ancient Greek city-states were in a constant rivalry for land, resources and power which meant that warfare became an ever-present aspect of life. Athens and Sparta were famous rivals throughout the Classical period but other cities like...