Relations Between Greek States and Non-Greek States, 492-404 BC | OCR A-Level Ancient History (H407)

Relations Between Greek States and Non-Greek States, 492-404 BC

322 questions
22 subtopics
Component Group 1: Greek period study, compulsory
Component Group 1

Relations Between Greek States and Non-Greek States, 492–404 BC is examined in Component Group 1, Greek period study and Greek depth study.

It covers Mardonius' expedition and the Persian demand for submission, 492–491 BC, the Battle of Marathon, 490 BC, Persian aims and the preparations of both sides in the 480s BC, the Hellenic League and the divided response of the Greek states, Thermopylae, Artemisium and the debate before Salamis, Plataea, Mycale and the Greek alliance of 479 BC, explaining the Greek victory over Persia, the consequences of victory and the founding of the Delian League, 479–477 BC, the growth of Athenian power in the Delian League, the earthquake, the helot revolt and the break with Sparta, 465–461 BC, the First Peloponnesian War, 461–446 BC, the Egyptian expedition and the end of the Persian war, 460–449 BC, the Thirty Years' Peace and the revolt of Samos, 446–439 BC, Corcyra, Potidaea and the outbreak of war in 431 BC, the causes of the Peloponnesian War, strategy, the invasions of Attica and the plague at Athens, Pylos, Sphacteria and Brasidas in Thrace, Divisions over peace and the Peace of Nicias, 422–421 BC, the alliance with Argos and the Battle of Mantinea, 418 BC, the Sicilian Expedition and the occupation of Decelea, 415–413 BC, Persia and the defeat of Athens, 412–404 BC and explaining Athenian defeat in the Peloponnesian War.

Sample questions from Relations Between Greek States and Non-Greek States, 492-404 BC

Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

Mardonius' expedition and the Persian demand for submission, 492–491 BC

What political change does Herodotus say Mardonius made in the Ionian cities in 492 BC?

Show the answer
Herodotus says he removed the Greek tyrants who ruled them and set up democracies in their place.
Persian aims and the preparations of both sides in the 480s BC

What did the Delphic oracle tell the Athenians to trust in, and how was it interpreted?

Show the answer
The oracle promised that a wooden wall alone would not fall, and Themistocles argued that this meant the fleet rather than the old thorn barrier on the Acropolis.
Plataea, Mycale and the Greek alliance of 479 BC

What finally persuaded Sparta to send an army north in 479 BC?

Show the answer
Athenian envoys hinted that Athens might accept Persian terms, and Spartan opinion accepted that the Isthmus wall was worthless without the Athenian fleet.
The consequences of victory and the founding of the Delian League, 479–477 BC

Where was the League treasury first kept, and why there?

Show the answer
It was kept on Delos, the ancient religious centre of the Ionian Greeks, which gave the alliance a neutral and sacred home.
The First Peloponnesian War, 461–446 BC

How did the war between Athens and Aegina end?

Show the answer
Aegina was beaten at sea and besieged, and she surrendered her fleet, pulled down her walls and became a tribute-paying subject of Athens.
The Thirty Years' Peace and the revolt of Samos, 446–439 BC

Explain why Corinth later reminded Athens of the Peloponnesian vote over Samos.

Show the answer
Corinth claimed she had upheld the principle that each great power disciplines its own allies, and expected Athens to leave Corcyra alone in return.
Strategy, the invasions of Attica and the plague at Athens

Explain why the Spartan strategy failed to force a decision.

Show the answer
Athens could feed herself by sea, so ravaging the fields caused hardship but not surrender, and a Spartan army could not stay in Attica for long.
Divisions over peace and the Peace of Nicias, 422–421 BC

Why did Athens and Sparta go on to make an alliance in 421 BC?

Show the answer
Sparta needed support against Argos and her own disaffected allies, and Nicias hoped that a defensive alliance would hold the peace together.

The 22 subtopics

One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.

Subtopic	What it covers	Questions
Mardonius' expedition and the Persian demand for submission, 492–491 BC	Recall questions on Darius' reasons for punishing Athens and Eretria, the aims and abrupt end of the 492 campaign, democracies in Ionia, the heralds of 491, and Aegina's submission.	13
The Battle of Marathon, 490 BC	Recall questions on Datis and Artaphernes' route across the Aegean, the treatment of Delos and Eretria, Hippias and the landing at Marathon, the Spartan delay and Plataea's help, Miltiades and Callimachus, the thinned Athenian centre, Herodotus' casualty figures, and why the victory mattered.	14
Persian aims and the preparations of both sides in the 480s BC	Recall questions on why the invasion was delayed after Marathon, Xerxes' aims and the advice of Mardonius and Artabanus, the Athos canal and Hellespont bridges, doubts over Herodotus' numbers, the Laurium silver and Themistocles' fleet, ostracism, the wooden wall oracle, and the royal inscriptions of Darius I at Naqsh-e Rustam and Xerxes at Persepolis.	22
The Hellenic League and the divided response of the Greek states	Recall questions on the congress at the Isthmus in 481 BC and its oath, Spartan command, the meaning of medism, the answers of Gelon, Argos and Corcyra, the withdrawal from Tempe and the loss of Thessaly, and why Thebes medised while Plataea and Thespiae held out.	14
Thermopylae, Artemisium and the debate before Salamis	Recall questions on why the Greeks held Thermopylae, Leonidas and the three hundred, the mountain track that turned the pass, the fleet at Artemisium and the storms, the evacuation of Athens, the Peloponnesian wish to fall back to the Isthmus, Themistocles' arguments and message to Xerxes, and the Persian disadvantage in the straits.	15
Plataea, Mycale and the Greek alliance of 479 BC	Recall questions on the offer Athens refused, the second evacuation, the night manoeuvre that went wrong, the treatment of Thebes, the victory monument, and Mycale's effect on Ionia.	14
Explaining the Greek victory over Persia	Recall questions on geography and Persian supply failures, the hoplite's advantage, how far unity mattered, the case for Sparta rather than Athens, and the handling of Herodotus and Thucydides.	12
The consequences of victory and the founding of the Delian League, 479–477 BC	Recall questions on Themistocles and the rebuilding of the walls, the fortification of the Piraeus, the fall of Pausanias, why the Ionians turned to Athens and Sparta let the command go, the purpose of the Delian League, Aristeides' assessment, the Hellenotamiae and the treasury on Delos, and the evidence of Plutarch, Diodorus and Thucydides.	14
The growth of Athenian power in the Delian League	Recall questions on Eion, Scyros and Carystus, the revolts of Naxos and Thasos, the Eurymedon victory, how tribute weakened the allies, hegemony and empire, the move of the treasury to Athens in 454 BC, other means of control, Cimon's policy towards Sparta, and the evidence of Plutarch and Aristotle's Politics.	15
The earthquake, the helot revolt and the break with Sparta, 465–461 BC	Recall questions on the secret promise to Thasos, why a helot rising endangered Sparta, the appeal to Athens, the dismissal at Ithome, and the settling of the rebels at Naupactus.	12
The First Peloponnesian War, 461–446 BC	Recall questions on Megara's change of side and Corinth's alarm, the war with Aegina, Tanagra and its aftermath, the Long Walls, the loss of Boeotia, and the crisis of 446.	14
The Egyptian expedition and the end of the Persian war, 460–449 BC	Recall questions on Athens' motives in Egypt, the disaster of 454 and its effect on League finances, the disputed terms of 449, and the justification for continuing to collect tribute.	16
The Thirty Years' Peace and the revolt of Samos, 446–439 BC	Recall questions on what Athens and Sparta each conceded in 446–445 BC, the clauses on neutrals and arbitration, the quarrel over Priene and Pericles' siege of Samos, the terms of 439 BC, the Peloponnesian vote Corinth later recalled, and the oaths and disputed date of the Chalkis decree.	19
Corcyra, Potidaea and the outbreak of war in 431 BC	Recall questions on the quarrel over Epidamnus, Corcyra's victory at Leucimme and appeal to Athens, the defensive alliance and the battle of Sybota, the demands on Potidaea and its costly siege, the Megarian Decree, King Archidamus' advice, and Sparta's final demands and Pericles' reply.	14
The causes of the Peloponnesian War	Recall questions on Thucydides' truest cause and the grievances, Thucydides himself, the arguments for and against inevitability, the roles of Corinth, Pericles and Sparta's allies, Aristophanes and Plutarch as sources, weaknesses in the Thirty Years' Peace, and the Spartan vote of 432 BC.	13
Strategy, the invasions of Attica and the plague at Athens	Recall questions on Pericles' strategy and the resources behind it, the Spartan plan of annual invasions and why it failed, the ravaging of Acharnae, life crowded inside the walls, Aristophanes as a witness to the war in the countryside, and the origin, spread and consequences of the plague of 430 BC.	14
Pylos, Sphacteria and Brasidas in Thrace	Recall questions on Demosthenes' fort at Pylos, the Spartans trapped on Sphacteria and the peace Cleon rejected, the surrender and use of the prisoners, Brasidas' helot army and promise of freedom in Thrace, the loss of Amphipolis, Delium, the deaths of Cleon and Brasidas, and the Thoudippos decree reassessing the tribute.	17
Divisions over peace and the Peace of Nicias, 422–421 BC	Recall questions on why Sparta and Athens wanted peace by 421 BC, the division between Cleon and Nicias, the fifty-year term and main clauses, the allies who refused to swear, the failure over Amphipolis and Pylos, the Athenian–Spartan alliance, and Aristophanes' Peace as evidence.	14
The alliance with Argos and the Battle of Mantinea, 418 BC	Recall questions on why Argos mattered after 421, the states that joined against Sparta in 420, Spartan weakness under the Peace of Nicias, the battle's outcome, and what Argos lost.	12
The Sicilian Expedition and the occupation of Decelea, 415–413 BC	Recall questions on Egesta's appeal and Athenian aims in Sicily, Nicias' advice, the joint command of Nicias, Alcibiades and Lamachus, the mutilation of the herms, the recall of Alcibiades, Gylippus at Syracuse, the eclipse and the final disaster, and the occupation of Decelea.	13
Persia and the defeat of Athens, 412–404 BC	Recall questions on the allied revolts after Sicily, Sparta's bargain with Persia, Tissaphernes and Alcibiades, how Athens fought on and why the Hellespont mattered, Cyrus and Lysander, Aegospotami and the surrender terms of 404 BC, Xenophon's Hellenica on Cyrus and Callicratidas, and Andokides On the Peace.	19
Explaining Athenian defeat in the Peloponnesian War	Recall questions on the Sicilian Expedition in conception and execution, Persian money, the occupation of Decelea, the plague and the loss of Alcibiades, and the peace offers Athens refused.	12

Relations Between Greek States and Non-Greek States, 492-404 BC is 322 of the 2,709 questions in the guide.Get the guide, £8

How the guide is worked

Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.

Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.

Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.