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Throughout antiquity, the biggest threat to the Greek world was Persia, a mighty empire with its eye on expansion. But, during the Persian Wars of 490-480BC, the balance of power unexpectedly changed. In a series of daring campaigns at Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis, the Greeks successfully defended the mainland from the invaders.
The significance of their victory is huge. Before this, the Greeks were a series of independent – often rival – city states with no sense of national identity. Afterwards, they began to recognise their cultural similarity. They proudly identified themselves as ‘Greeks’ and developed a sense of confidence that resulted in the great cultural achievements of the 3rd and 4th centuries BC, particularly in Athens. Had the Persians won, the ancient Greek legacy of democracy, art and drama that has influenced the modern world so profoundly might never have been created.
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