Marathon and Thermopylae · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Marathon and Thermopylae

History · Ancient Greece & Rome · ages 7-9
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Who defended the route at Thermopylae with King Leonidas?

    • Only soldiers sent from the city of Athens
    • Only the invading Persian army and its king
    • Spartans and other Greek allies

  2. Which army won the Battle of Marathon?

    • An army sent only from Sparta
    • Soldiers from Athens and Plataea
    • The Persian king's invading army

  3. Some Greek city-states resisted Persian invasion to keep ruling their own cities.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. Why did the narrow route at Thermopylae help the Greek defenders delay a larger army?

    • All the Greek city-states agreed to obey Persia
    • The space limited how many attackers could fight at once
    • The Persian army returned home before any fighting began

  5. Which story does the name of the marathon race recall?

    • The victory run in a later legend
    • The Persian army marching through a narrow pass
    • The Spartan king travelling to lead his soldiers

  6. Which order matches the two battles in this lesson?

    • Thermopylae, then Marathon
    • Both battles on the same day
    • Marathon, then Thermopylae

  7. Mina says Persia's victory at Thermopylae means it won the whole invasion. Which fact challenges her claim?

    • The 300 Spartans were the only Greeks who ever fought Persia
    • Thermopylae was the last battle fought during the entire invasion
    • Greek allies later won battles and stopped the invasion

  8. Which pair keeps the two accounts of Pheidippides separate?

    • Early account: ask Sparta for help; later legend: tell Athens of victory
    • Early account: tell Athens of victory; later legend: ask the city of Sparta for help
    • Early account: ask Persia for help; later legend: tell the city of Sparta of victory
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Marathon and Thermopylae W1-mt_14F_x1Xwwp-s1

  1. Spartans and other Greek allies · Leonidas led 300 Spartans alongside other Greek defenders.
  2. Soldiers from Athens and Plataea · Soldiers from Athens and Plataea defeated the Persian army at Marathon.
  3. True · The allies wanted to defend their independence, meaning rule over their own cities.
  4. The space limited how many attackers could fight at once · The narrow space limited how many attackers could fight at once, helping the defenders delay the larger army.
  5. The victory run in a later legend · The race's name recalls the later legend of a victory run from Marathon to Athens.
  6. Marathon, then Thermopylae · Marathon came first. Thermopylae happened ten years later.
  7. Greek allies later won battles and stopped the invasion · A victory in one battle does not decide every later battle. Greek allies later stopped the invasion.
  8. Early account: ask Sparta for help; later legend: tell Athens of victory · The early account describes asking Sparta for help before battle. The later legend describes taking victory news to Athens after battle.
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