Marathon and Thermopylae
CONCEPTUALDescribe the battles of Marathon and Thermopylae as moments when Greek city-states united against the invading Persian Empire — the runner Pheidippides bringing news of victory at Marathon (origin of the marathon race), and the heroic stand of 300 Spartans at Thermopylae — and understand these wars were fought to defend Greek independence
Mastery Evidence
- Retell the story of the Battle of Marathon and the runner Pheidippides
- Describe the Spartan stand at Thermopylae against a much larger Persian army
- Explain that the Persian Wars were about Greek city-states defending their freedom
Assessment Prompt
“Could [child] tell you about the famous battles of Marathon and Thermopylae, and explain that the Greeks were fighting to defend their freedom against the Persian Empire?”
Prerequisites1
- Athens Versus SpartahardAges 7—9
Show full prerequisite tree
- Ancient Greece and Rome on the Map hard
Comparing ancient life needs knowing where/when these civilisations were
- Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
Greece & Rome geography builds on Ancient Egypt geography — both Mediterranean civilisations, Egypt came first chronologically
- Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt soft
Comparing ancient lives benefits from prior exposure to Egyptian daily life comparison
- Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
Daily life context benefits from knowing Egypt is on the Nile in a desert
- Ancient Greece and Rome on the Map hard
Athens vs Sparta needs geographic/civilisation context from 5-7
- Egypt, the Nile, and the Desert soft
Greece & Rome geography builds on Ancient Egypt geography — both Mediterranean civilisations, Egypt came first chronologically
Unlocks1
- Alexander the Great's EmpirehardAges 9—11