- 1. In the early 5th century BCE, Darius I, the formidable King of Persia, initiated a series of military campaigns that marked the beginning of the Persian Wars, with notable ambitions focused on expanding his empire into the heart of Greece. Following the successful subjugation of the Ionian Greeks, who had revolted against Persian rule in 499 BCE, Darius viewed the conquest of mainland Greece as a means to punish the Athenians for their role in stirring up dissent and to solidify Persian dominance in the region. In 490 BCE, he deployed a massive army, reputedly numbering in the tens of thousands, across the Aegean Sea to wage war against the Greek city-states, particularly targeting Athens, which had supported the Ionian revolt. The invasion culminated in the pivotal Battle of Marathon, where the Athenian forces, though vastly outnumbered, utilized strategic prowess and superior tactics to achieve a stunning victory against the Persian forces. This unexpected defeat compelled Darius to reconsider his ambitions in Greece, although the invasion set the stage for further conflict as his son, Xerxes I, would later resume the Persian efforts to subjugate the Greek world. Darius's campaign thus not only highlighted the expanding reach of the Persian Empire but also ignited the fierce resistance and legendary military spirit of the Greeks, ultimately shaping the historical narrative of their civilization and its ongoing struggles for independence against foreign dominion.
When did Darius King of Persia invade Greece in the 1st Persia Wars?
A) 500 BC
B) 400 BC
C) 490 BC
D) 300 BC
- 2. Who was the Athenian general known for his role in the Battle of Marathon?
A) Leonidas
B) Miltiades
C) Pericles
D) Themistocles
- 3. Who was the Persian king during the 1st Persia Wars?
A) Cyrus the Great
B) Artaxerxes I
C) Darius I
D) Xerxes I
- 4. Which Greek city-state did Xerxes I burn during his invasion of Greece?
A) Sparta
B) Corinth
C) Thebes
D) Athens
- 5. Who was the Spartan king who led the Greek forces at Thermopylae?
A) Pericles
B) Themistocles
C) Leonidas
D) Miltiades
- 6. What was the role of Themistocles in the wars against Persia?
A) Spartan general
B) Athenian naval commander
C) Theban strategist
D) Persian diplomat
- 7. Which ancient historian chronicled the events of the Persian Wars?
A) Herodotus
B) Plutarch
C) Thucydides
D) Xenophon
- 8. Who won the Battle of Plataea?
A) Persians
B) Celts
C) Greeks
D) Romans
- 9. Who led the Persian army during the Battle of Marathon?
A) Mardonius
B) Datis
C) Cambyses
D) Xerxes
- 10. Which Greek general was known for his advice to 'March to the ships' during the Persian Wars?
A) Leonidas
B) Themistocles
C) Miltiades
D) Pericles
- 11. Where did the Persians land in Greece during Darius I's invasion?
A) Plataea
B) Salamis
C) Thermopylae
D) Marathon
- 12. On what date did the Battle of Marathon take place?
A) August 475 BC
B) September 490 BC
C) July 480 BC
D) October 495 BC
- 13. Who was the Persian king who ordered the invasion of Greece after Darius I's death?
A) Artaxerxes I
B) Xerxes I
C) Cyrus the Great
D) Darius II
- 14. Which Greek city-state was betrayed to the Persians by Ephialtes at Thermopylae?
A) Sparta
B) Thebes
C) Athens
D) Corinth
- 15. What Greek city-state was the first to engage the Persians in battle during the 1st Persia Wars?
A) Sparta
B) Athens
C) Eretria
D) Corinth
- 16. Which Persian naval battle followed the land Battle of Marathon?
A) Battle of Artemisium
B) Battle of Thermopylae
C) Battle of Salamis
D) Battle of Plataea
- 17. Which narrow pass was famously defended by the Spartans in the 2nd Persian invasion?
A) Thermopylae
B) Plataea
C) Salamis
D) Artemisium
- 18. What was the final major battle in the 1st Persia Wars that resulted in a decisive Greek victory?
A) Battle of Salamis
B) Battle of Marathon
C) Battle of Thermopylae
D) Battle of Plataea
|