RELG 464 - The Inter-Testamental Era
Module 5 - The Greek-Persian Wars, Esther
Key Topics
- Athens, 500 BC - 450 BC
- The Ionian Revolt
- The Battle of Thermopylae
- The Battle of Marathon
- The Battle of Salamis : one of the consequences of this battle was that nearly all of the Phoenician navy was destroyed. The Phoenicians had already been conquered and made part of the Persian Empire, so were fighting for Persia. Until this time they had been the major sea-faring force in the Mediterranean, both for trade and for founding colonies. After the battle of Salamis, the colony at Carthage, on the coast of North Africa, was cut off from Phoenician support and had to became self-sufficient. In time, Carthage became the leading sea-power of the Mediterranean, until the Carthaginians and the Romans fought the Punic Wars (see Week 10)
- The Battle of Plataea
- Themistocles
- Xerxes - Ahasuerus
- Esther : The setting of the Story of Esther is shortly after the Battle of Salamis. The feast which Xerxes gave (Esther, chapter 1) was intended to divert the attention of his people from the defeat they had just suffered. This also helps to explain Xerxes' reaction when Vashti did not obey his commands.
- Shushan / Susa
- Purim
Scripture and Apocrypha Readings
- Esther
- The Rest of Esther (in the Apocrypha)
Textbook Readings
The text book does not show Page numbers very well - they are inside the logo on the top of the page - but the Maps are numbered clearly. It is easier to find sections by following the Map numbers
- Chart 14, page 166 - The kings of Persia
- Darius I and Xerxes I - page 167
Course Notes
- Map of the Persian Empire
- Map of Greece during the Persian Wars
- Time-Line of the Babylonian and Persian Periods
- Notes on Esther
Useful Links to get you started
Go here for InterNet Links
Discussion Board 5
Thread : Whom would you most like to have been :
Mordeca, Ahasuerus/Xerxes I, Miltiades, Leonidas, or Themistocles ?
Choose whom you would most like to have been, write an account of his life, and say why you chose him rather than any of the others.
Replies to 2 of your classmates' Threads :
If possible, choose Threads which deal with different people.
What are your thoughts about the people chosen, and their influence on the history of the period ?
Essay for this Module
Write an account (3 - 10 pages) on the Greek-Persian Wars
Use MSWord or a text editor such as Notepad to prepare and save your work, then submit it to the relevant SafeAssign box on the BlackBoard site for the course.
Copyright © 1999 Shirley J. Rollinson, all Rights Reserved
