The Peace of Callias: Persia and Greece Make Peace

The Achaemenid Empire: Persia's Golden Age of Power — Fexingo History · May 9, 2026 · 5m

After decades of war between the Achaemenid Empire and the Greek city-states, a remarkable peace treaty was signed around 449 BCE. Known as the Peace of Callias, it ended the Greco-Persian Wars on terms favorable to both sides. This episode explores the negotiations led by the Athenian statesman Callias, the territorial concessions made by Persia (abandoning claims to the Aegean coast and Cyprus), and the stipulation that Persian armies would not approach within three days' march of the Greek coast. We discuss the controversies surrounding the treaty's historicity—some ancient sources omit it…