1. The Period of Conquest (Cyrus the Great 559-529 BCE)

2. The Fall of Lydia (Croesus) - 546 BCE

3. The Collapse of the Second Babylonian Empire - 539 BCE
   1. Phoenicia

   2. Cyprus

   3. Egypt

4. Consolidation of the Empire (Darius 522-486 BCE)
   1. Trouble on the Northern Frontier - Scythian tribes harassed trade routes

   2. The Annexation of the Northern Aegean Coast (514-13 BCE) -

   3. The European Invasion (514-13 BCE) - The Persians expand into Thrace, Bridging the Bosporus

The Ionian colonies supported by Athens and Eretria (and nominally by Sparta) revolted from Persia and overthrew the pro-Persian ("medized") tyrants of Asia Minor.

1. The First Persian War (490 BCE) - Darius
   1. The Persian Expeditionary Force lands at Marathon (25,000)

   2. Athens and Plataea (11,000 Hoplites)

   3. Greek Victory (192 Greek dead to 6,400 Persian losses)

   4. Egypt Revolts (487BCE)

2. The Second Persian War (480-478 BCE) - Xerxes
   1. The Greek League - Sparta leads an alliance of Hellenic states

   2. Xerxes Invades over the Hellespont Bridge (c. 500,000)

   3. The Battle of Thermopylae - Leonidas defends the pass [4,000 Greeks lost 20,000 Persians lost]

   4. The Battle of Salimis - 380 (310 triremes) Greek ships to 1,200 Persian ships (Themistokles)

   5. The Battle of Plataea (and Mycale) 108,00 Greeks (under Pausanias) to 300,000 Persians (under Mardonius)

1. The Bicameral Congress -
   1. Athens

   2. Allied Synod

2. Naval Interests and The Rise of the Lower Class (further democritization under Perikles)

3. The Earthquake of 464 and the Helot Revolt