The Drama that was The Persian Wars!

15 Points Per Correct Answer - No time limit  

1. Which one of these could be viewed as a catalyst for the Persian invasion of 490 BC? The Ionian Revolt Darius' demand for Earth and Water The cutting of the Athos Canal The bridging of the Strymon and Hellespont

2. Who was the strategist of the Athenians in the Battle of Marathon? Militiades Cimon Themistocles Datis

3. Why were the Spartans so late in getting to Marathon? They were preoccupied with a Helot revolt They were delayed by their Karneia festival The Spartans and Athens had a nasty quarrel Sparta wasn't informed in time

4. Which of these was NOT a factor influencing Xerxes to invade Greece in 480 BC? He had a need for revenge He was influenced by Mardonius He was under pressure to extend the Persian empire He needed to destroy the relationship between Athens and Sparta

5. The Greeks weren't blind - they knew that Xerxes was on the way! In 481 BC, a Congress of 31 Greek states was held to discuss the problem. Which Greek state was given command of both the Greek navy and army? Answer: (Help! Is that a Helot behind me?!)

6. What was the name of the mountain pass where the Greeks fought their first battle with the Persians? Salamis Thermopylae Mycale Platea

7. Thermopylae was a crucial defensive position and so the Greeks reinforced the pass with all the troops at their disposal. True False

8. Before we talk about Salamis, we need to do the time warp. Who was it, as early as 493 BC, who started taking the initiative to fortify and protect Athens from the Persians? Answer: (I didn't even get any credit for all I did after the war, so much for saving the whole of Greece!)

9. The Decree of Themistocles ensured the evacuation of Athens in six days. Which one of these was NOT commanded by the decree? Ostracised individuals were to be recalled Compensation of 100 obols was to be given to each citizen for evacuating in such short notice Athenian women and children were to be sent to Salamis, Aegina and Troezen The Acropolis was to be guarded by a garrison and priests and priestesses

10. The Peloponnesians weren't impressed with Themistocles' insistence to face the Persians at Salamis. Before their dissent could get any worse, what trick did Themistocles pull? He visited the Persian camp and offered to betray Greece He sent a letter to Xerxes hinting at Greek treachery and withdrawal He disguised himself as Xerxes and positioned himself on a vantage point at Salamis He got Aristides to dress up as a woman to seduce the Spartan commander

11. Which one of these famous playwrights was an eyewitness of the battle of Salamis? Aeschylus Euripedes Aristophanes Plato

12. After his devastating defeat at Salamis, Xerxes fled Greece because he was scared witless. True or false? True False

13. It seems that Sparta was once again unwilling to take quick action against the Persians to follow up the Greek victory at Salamis. What did Athens threaten to do if Sparta didn't start moving? Athens threatened to withdraw from the war Athens threatened to declare war with Sparta Athens threatened to ally herself with Argos, Sparta's chief enemy Athens threatened to withdraw the Athenian navy

14. The Battle of Platea turned out a victory for the Greeks - which of these two factors were vital contributors to this victory? The Athenian naval prowess and the unity of the Greeks The defection of the Persian conscripts and the revolt of the Ionians The early defeat of the Persian cavalry and the disorganised Persians The Spartans' discipline and the errors of the Persian tactics

15. The final battle of the Persian Wars took place at Mycale. The Greeks won another victory of course, but what other significant event occurred in this battle? Sparta made it clear that she wanted a naval empire of her own The Ionians revolted against the Persians The Athenians openly rejected Spartan help Persia successfully bribed the Spartan King