Final answer:
After the Persians passed through Thermopylae, they sacked Athens. But the Athenians' naval victory at Salamis led to a Persian retreat and eventual Greek victory at Plataea, paving the way for Athenian dominance and the formation of the Delian League.
Step-by-step explanation:
After the Persian forces breached the pass of Thermopylae, they advanced against Athens, looting and burning the city in 480 BCE. However, the Battle of Thermopylae provided crucial time for the Athenians to prepare, allowing them to evacuate the city and fortify their naval position.
As a result, at the naval Battle of Salamis, the combined Greek fleet, spearheaded by Athens, decisively defeated the Persian navy. This victory was a turning point, after which Xerxes decided to withdraw his forces from Greece.
Facing a reduced Persian force, the Greek allied forces triumphantly defeated the Persian army at the subsequent Battle of Plataea in 479 BCE. This marked the beginning of the end for Persian attempts to subjugate Greece, eventually leading to the rise of Athenian power and the establishment of the Delian League.