Which source does not claim that Cyrus is the grandson of Astyages?

Ctesias

Astyages was the King of the ...?

Medians

Why did Astyages fear Cyrus?

He heard a dream that implied he would be overthrown

What order does Astyages give about Cyrus?

To kill the baby

Who does Astyages order to deal with Cyrus?

Harpagus

Who does Harpagus pass his task on to?

A shepherd

How does Cyrus catch the attention of Astyages as a child?

He beats up a Persian noble's child (Game of Kings)

How does Astyages punish Harpagus?

He feeds him his son

How does Cyrus win the battle with the Medes?

Harpagus goes over to help Cyrus as revenge for his son

What happens to Astyages after the battle with Cyrus?

Cyrus allows him to live

Which kingdom does Cyrus conquer first as King of Persia?

Lydia

What is the capital city of Lydia?

Sardis

Who does Croesus ask for help against Cyrus?

Sparta

How does Cyrus spook the cavalry at the battle of Pteria?

He uses camels to spook the horses

What does Cyrus plan to do to Croesus?

Burn him alive

Which rivers did Cyrus divert to conquer Babylon?

Tigris / Euphrates

Why did the people of Babylon not fight back against Cyrus?

Holiday / festival

Where did Cyrus build his new capital city?

On the site of his battle with the Medes

What was Cyrus' capital city called?

Pasargadae

What was Cyrus' attitude to conquered peoples?

Tolerant

Who did Cyrus allow to return from exile?

Jews

Who was the King of Babylon who mistreated the people?

Nebuchadnezzar

Which source shows Cyrus as a tolerant and kind ruler?

Cyrus Cylinder

What name do the Jews give Cyrus?

Messiah

Which Babylonian god does Cyrus say has chosen him?

Marduk

What is the name of the tribe Cyrus goes to fight in Central Asia?

Massagetae

What choice does Cyrus make before fighting the Massagetae?

Which side of the river to fight on

What is the name of the Massagetae Queen?

Tomyris

What is the name of Tomyris' son?

Spargapises

What happens to Spargapises (Tomyris' son)?

Captured and commits suicide

How does Cyrus die according to Herodotus?

He dies in battle

What does the Tomyris do to Cyrus?

She has his corpse beheaded and the head placed in a bag of blood

When did Cambyses become King of Persia?

529BC

Which two countries joined the Persian Empire as Cambyses took over?

Samos and Phoenicia

Why did Cambyses want to conquer Egypt?

Carry on his father's legacy

Cambyses asked for the daughter of Amasis as a wife. Why did this go wrong?

Amasis sent the wrong girl to trick Cambyses

Who changed sides giving Cambyses access to a greater navy?

Polycrates of Samos

Who did Cambyses turn to that enabled him to cross the desert to Egypt?

The King of the Arabians

How did the Persian army get across the desert to Egypt?

With water bags stored on camels

Where was the first battle in Egypt?

Pelusium

How is it rumoured that the Persians won the battle of Pelusium?

They used cats

Which city did Cambyses besiege?

Memphis

Where did Cambyses launch a campaign without proper planning?

Ethiopia

Who submitted to Cambyses after his victory in Egypt?

Libya

Which expedition did Cambyses cancel as the Phoenicians would not fight them?

Against the Carthaginians

Where did Cambyses supposedly lose an army of 50,000 men?

Oasis at Ammon

What did the Egyptians believe the God Ptah appeared as?

The Apis Bull

What happens to the Apis Bull when Cambyses sees it?

He stabs it and laughs

What does Cambyses do to Amasis?

He desecrates the corpse

Who does Cambyses plot to murder?

His brother Smerdis

Who else Cambyses have killed?

His sister and other Persian nobles

Who does Cambyses send to murder Smerdis?

Prexaspes

What was a magi?

A priest who performed rituals

Why did Cambyses have Smerdis killed?

He has a dream that Smerdis was sitting on the throne

Cambyses mounts his horse... what happens?

He stabs himself in the thigh

Which Egyptian official gives a more positive view of Cambyses?

Udjahorresnet

What title is Cambyses given in Udjahorresnet's inscription?

King of Upper and Lower Egypt

When did Cambyses die?

522BC

Who ruled after the death of Cambyses?

False Smerdis

Who helps to uncover the fact that Smerdis is not the real brother of Cambyses?

Otanes

How do they prove that Smerdis is not the real brother?

Smerdis' ears had been cut off due to a crime

How many nobles plan to overthrow the false King?

7

How is Darius related to Cambyses?

He is a distant relative

How do Darius and the conspirators decide who will be the next leader?

The first mans horse to neigh after dawn will be King

Which inscription tells Darius' version of the events?

Behistun Inscription

Who does Darius crush to take power?

Gaumata

Who does Darius claim helped to defeat the usurper?

Ahura Mazda

Where did uprisings happen immediately when Darius became king?

Elam and Babylon

What else does Darius claim to gain legitimacy?

Links to Achaemenes

What does Darius divide the Empire into?

Satrapies

How does Darius make sure the governors stay loyal?

Chooses family members

Whose job was it to collect taxes and offer soldiers if needed?

The Satrap

What did Darius build to help communication?

The Royal Roads

Which city did Darius rebuild?

Susa

What does Darius build to encourage trade?

The Canal to Egypt

Where does Darius build a new capital city?

Persepolis

What feature of Persepolis portrays unity under Darius?

The Apadana Staircase

Why does Darius continue the expansion of the Empire?

His wife Atossa tells him to

Where does Darius begin his invasion of Europe?

Scythia and Thrace

Which area of water does Darius cross to invade Europe?

The Bosporus

Which river do the army of Darius need to cross?

The Danube

Why are the Scythians able to drive Darius back?

They are skilled horsemen

Where else does Darius conquer after sending reconnaissance parties out?

The Indus Valley

Why is the conquest of Thrace useful to Darius?

It is rich in resources

Where did the Persians send ambassadors to ask for Earth and Water?

Macedonia

What are the people of the Indus Valley called on inscriptions?

Skudra

When does the Ionian Revolt begin?

499BC

Why do the Ionian's revolt?

They want to set up democracies like Athens

Who leads the Ionian Revolt?

Aristagoras

Who chooses to help the Ionian's in their revolt?

Athens

Which city is burned to the ground during the revolt?

Sardis

Where is the final battle of the Ionian Revolt fought?

Lade

Who travels with the Persian fleet to help them to attack Greece?

Hippias

Who does Darius send to prepare the invasion in 492BC?

Mardonius

What happens to Darius' Greek invasion in 492BC?

The Persian fleet is wrecked in a storm

What happens to the messengers that Darius sends to Athens?

They are thrown into a pit for criminals

What happens to the messengers that Darius sends to Sparta?

They are thrown into a well

What does earth and water stand for?

Submitting or Medising

Where do the Persian's leave alone as they travel to Marathon?

Delos

Where is burnt to the ground in revenge for Sardis?

Naxos

Why does the Persian fleet land at Marathon?

It is a flat plain

Who is the commander of the invasion to Marathon?

Datis

Who led the Athenian forces at Marathon?

Miltiades

Which tactic allowed the Athenians to win?

Phalanx

How many Greeks died at Marathon?

192

Who took the message to Athens that the Persian's were defeated?

Pheidippides

Why did Darius not continue the invasion of Greece?

A rebellion happens in Egypt

When was the battle of Marathon?

490BC

When did Darius die?

486BC

Why was it not obvious for Xerxes to be the next King?

He was the second son

Who supported Xerxes?

Demaratus, a Greek adviser

Why was Demaratus important?

He was an ex-King of Sparta

Where is there a revolt after Darius' death?

Egypt

Where was there a rebellion in 484 BC that Xerxes had to crush?

Babylon

Why did some places revolt after Darius' death?

Resentment about tribute

Why was Xerxes determined to invade Greece?

To get revenge for Marathon

What preparations does Xerxes make to invade Greece?

He recruits soldiers from all over the Empire

How many nations does he draw soldiers from?

47

What does Xerxes have built to help his ships to get to Greece?

A canal at Athos

Where does Xerxes build a bridge for his troops?

Across the Hellespont

Who were the most well-known soldiers in the Persian army?

Immortals

What were the Greek soldiers known as?

Hoplites

What was the main type of ship used in battle at this time?

Trireme

What did the Greeks form to resist the Persians?

Hellenic League

Who were the leaders of the Hellenic League that resisted Persia?

Sparta

Where did the Greeks choose to meet the Persian army?

Thermopylae

Who was the leader of the Greek forces in 480BC?

Leonidas

Who betrayed the Greek forces at the battle in 480BC?

Ephialtes

What were the Greeks seen doing before battle of Thermopylae?

Combing their hair

What does Herodotus tell us about the death of Leonidas?

Xerxes has his body decapitated

What did the Persians do when they arrived in Athens?

They burned the Temples to the ground

What had the Athenians done before the Persian's arrived?

Evacuated the women and children to Salamis

Who was the leader of the Athenian forces at Salamis?

The Spartan Eurybiades

How does Themistocles trick Xerxes into attacking?

He sends a slave with a message

Why are the Greeks able to win at Salamis?

They know the waters

Which Persian leader impresses Xerxes during the battle?

Artemisia

What does Xerxes do after the battle of Salamis?

He returns to Persia

Who does Xerxes leave behind to continue the conquest of Greece?

Mardonius

Where is the final defeat of the Persian forces in 479BC?

Plataea

Where is the final defeat of the Persian navy in 479BC?

Mycale

What do the Greeks create after the defeat of Mardonius?

The Delian League

When is the Battle of Eurymedon?

465BC

Who is the leader of the Greek forces at Eurymedon?

Cimon

Who writes a biography of Cimon?

Plutarch

When does Xerxes die?

465BC