Discuss the effect of the Persian Wars on Greek cultural identity.

What will be an ideal response?

After the Persians destroyed Athens in 479 BCE, the entire city, including the Akropolis, had to be rebuilt. This afforded the Athenians the opportunity to create one of the greatest monumental spaces in the history of Western architecture. After the Persian invasion in 480 BCE, the Athenians had initially vowed to keep the Akropolis in a state of ruin as a reminder of the horrible price of war; however, Perikles convinced them to rebuild it. Richly decorated with elaborate architecture and sculpture, it would become, Perikles argued, a fitting memorial not only to the war but especially to Athena’s role in protecting the Athenian people. The triglyphs, square blocks divided by grooves into three sections, of the Parthenon narrate battles between the Greeks and four enemies (all four perhaps symbolizing the recently defeated Persians). In addition, it inspired poets and philosophers, such as Aeschylus. Finally, the legacy of the wars inspired future battles led by both Philip II and Alexander the Great.