• Greeks were unique because they had relationships with their gods
• Greeks were warlike, especially the Spartans
• Spartans were known for their tough, ruthless infantry(solders who fought on land)
• Athens had a good infantry, but their navy was the best
• there most effective weapon was the Trireme
• A technological wonder
• Fastest ship in the world at the time
• Rowed by 170 men at 3 levels
• Battering ram
• agile, fast
• The Phalanx
• close rank, dense grouping
• armed wit long spears and interlocking shields
• soldiers would advance slowly until they broke through
• Persian war
• Persia had a huge army and nearly unlimited resources
• Greek army 
• Iron weapons meant ordinary citizens could arm themselves
• foot soldiers (hoplites) were trained at a young age
• armed with spears, swords, shields
• they fraught in a phalanx
• "home field"
• motivated to preserve democracy
• Persian army
• Archers
• cavalry
• lightly armored infantry
• huge numbers
• long way from home
• professional army (mercenaries)
• Victorious Greeks form the Delian League