What part did Athens play in the Persian Wars?

Answer 1

It provided the larges part of the Greek fleet which eliminated the Persian fleet at Salamis (480 BCE)and Mycale (479 BCE).

It provided a substantial part of the combined Greek army which defeated the Persians and their Greek allies at Plataea (479 BCE).

After the Persian invasion was repelled, it took over leadership from Sparta of the Delian League for the ongoing war with the Persian Empire until peace was made in 449 BCE.

After this it converted this Delian League into an empire of its own, using it to promote its interest in the Greek world so irresponsibly the it provoked the other Greek cities, in the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta, into the destructive 27-year Peloponnesian War. The Persians had their revenge by subsidising the Peloponnesians, ensuring the defeat of Athens.

Answer 2

It helped accelerate it by intervening in a Greek uprising in Asia Minor, drawing Persian focus on Mainland Greece. It repelled a Persian punitive force at Marathon, and was part of a couple of dozen city-states which repelled the Persian invasion in 480-479 BCE. It then led the Delian League to protect the cities against Persia until peace was arranged in 449 BCE.