The Greeks became aware of the Persians through their expansionist policies. The Persians were a powerful empire that conquered many neighboring lands, including the Greek city-states in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). This led to conflicts between the Greeks and the Persians, such as the Ionian Revolt in 499-494 BC, which was a failed attempt by the Greek cities in Anatolia to overthrow Persian rule. These conflicts eventually led to the Persian Wars (490-479 BC), during which the Greeks were able to repel Persian invasions and preserve their independence.