Battle of Marathon II

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Lead: The victory of the Greek forces at the Battle of Marathon helped set the course of western development.

Intro.: "A Moment In Time" with Dan Roberts.

Content: The ever-expanding Persian empire under Cyrus the Great, Darius and Xerxes came to a halt as it collided with the Greek city-states and their colonies on the Aegean Sea. A powerful invasion force landed at the Bay of Marathon, twenty miles northeast of Athens, in the fall of 490 BC. As was often the case, the democratic Athenians were busy arguing who would command their army even as the Persians were at the gates. Finally, one of the generals, Miltiades, persuaded Callimachus, a civil official, to break the impasse and vote to attack the Persians first. Apparently there was evidence that some Athenians were sympathetic with the invaders and if the City waited too long the seeds of betrayal would undermine its resistance.

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Battle of Marathon I

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Lead: On the plain at Marathon, Greek armies met a much larger Persian invasion force. For a time, the outcome was in doubt.

Intro.: "A Moment In Time" with Dan Roberts.

Content: In 500 BCE the Persian Empire stretched from India to the shores of the Black Sea. From their capital at Persepolis, Cyrus the Great and his successors, Darius and Xerxes, extended the borders and generally benevolent rule of Persia to most of the civilized world. As they moved west the Persians began to encounter those regions colonized by the major city-states of Greece.

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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World- Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus

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Lead: Just about all that is remembered about the minor regional kingdom around the ancient city of Halicarnassus (ha li car NA sus) is the tomb of one of its rulers. His name was Mausolus (mau SO lus). Mausoleum, a variant of his name is given to stately tombs even today.

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: Bodrum is a small city with a population of just over 30,000 in southwestern Turkey. In ancient times it was known as Halicarnassus colonized by Dorian Greeks. Perhaps its most famous native was the Greek historian, Herodotus (484-420 B.C.E.), but its main claim to fame was a tomb.

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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World- Colossus of Rhodes

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Lead: Of all the structures counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, perhaps the most mysterious is the statue of Helios the Sun God, the Colossus of Rhodes.

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: Rhodes is an island at the eastern end of the Mediterranean just off the southwestern coast of modern Turkey. In the ancient era it was blessed with fertile soil and an excellent climate, and though traditionally an ally of Egypt, maintained generally peaceful relationships and significant commercial contacts with its neighbors. In the fourth century B.C.E., Antigonus, King of Macedonia, set his eyes on Egypt and encourage the Rhodians to abandon their alliance with Egypt and join forces with him. When they refused in 305 B.C.E. he sent a large force under his son Demetrius but Rhodes put up such a tenacious resistance that Demetrius abandoned the effort along with his very expensive siege engines. The Rhodians, seeing a bargain at hand, sold the engines for about $2 million in today's money and in gratitude for their deliverance erected a statue in honor of their patron deity, Helios, the Sun God.

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Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: Pharos – The Alexandria Lighthouse

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Lead: Designed to protect commerce sailing in and out of the port of Alexandria, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, Pharos, the Alexandria lighthouse has proven to be the model for most lighthouses built since.

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: Almost as if anticipating a modern list of curiosities such as Ripley’s Believe it or Not, The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World was a constantly varying and occasionally updated list of architectural accomplishments maintained by historians such as the Greek scholar Herodotus and Antipater (An-TI-pa-tor) of Sidon. Revisions to the list were made almost into the modern era as structures disappeared or new ones were built. On nearly all the lists was the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria built on the island of Pharos just off the port in about 290 B.C.E.

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