World History - 5th Century BC

• published: 03 Apr 2015
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Music Credits - Source: YouTube Audio Library Song: Done Runnin Artist: RW Smith Song: Barton Springs Artist: Bird Creek Song: Vision Artist: Silent Partner The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 during the first Persian invasion of Greece. The battle was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate Greece. The Greek army decisively defeated the more numerous Persians, marking a turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. The Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the longest canal or artificial river in the world at 1,794 kilometers and a famous tourist destination. Emperor Wen of Sui launched the program and work began in 486 – within three years the canal connected the Yangtze River to the Huai River. (Wen of Sway) (Hu-why River) The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between alliances of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire ruled by Xerxes I over the course of three days in the year 480. Although the Greeks were defeated, this battle is considered by ancient and modern writers as a symbol of courage against overwhelming odds. The Histories of Herodotus is now considered as the founding work of history in Western literature. Written from the 450s to the 420s, it serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that were known in Western Asia, North Africa and Greece at that time. The Parthenon is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis and dedicated to the goddess Athena. Construction began in 447 when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It is the most important surviving building of Classical Greece, generally considered the zenith of the Doric order. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia was a giant seated figure, about 13 meters tall, made by the Greek sculptor Phidias around 435. It was regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World until its eventual destruction during the 5th century AD. The Peloponnesian War was an ancient Greek war that began in 431 by Athens and its empire against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. The destruction of the Athenian fleet effectively ended the war with Athens surrendering in 404.