Their infantry warriors wore metal armour, which the Persians did not.
Persian Wars.
The Persian-Greek wars stretched from 499-449 BCE in several phases. There were not two distinct wars.
The Persian army, and the armies of the Greek city-states.
The Persian king, and first Sparta then Athens on the Greek side.
The Persian Empire and various combinations of Greek city-states.
To prevent Persian takeover of the Greek cities in Europe as had already happened to the Greek cities in Asia.
Herodotus
449 BCE.
persian wars.
Persia and Greek city-states.
Persian wars.
The Persian Empire versus a varying coalition of Greek city-states.