Something they would have to do only a few years later, with the arrival of the seemingly unstoppable invasion by Xerxes I. Encamping on the edge of the Plain of Marathon, they faced a Persian force numbering between 20-60,000. He had just run the full 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens. Athens and Sparta were able to galvanize a number of cities, previously petrified at the thought of a Persian attack, into defending their homeland. Marathon WebThe battle of Marathon was fought in September of 490 B.C., when the Persian king Darius I sent a force to subdue Athens after the Athenians had supported the Ionian Greeks during their unsuccessful rebellion against Persian rule in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). Darius was beyond angry a persistent thorn in his side, the continued insolence from Athens was infuriating and so he dispatched his army under the leadership of Datis, his best admiral, heading first toward the conquest of Eretria, a city nearby and in close relations with Athens. The Persian cavalry were armed as the foot soldiers, with a bow and an additional two javelins for throwing and thrusting. Upon arriving at Marathon, the Athenians drew up battle lines, but, seeing they were outnumbered by the Persians, waited to attack. Create your account. As with most battles from this period, these numbers are suspect. Indeed, Spartan indifference is epitomised by Dieneces, who, when told that the Persian arrows would be so dense as to darken the sun, replied that in that case the Spartans would have the pleasure of fighting in the shade. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/thermopylae/. Moving a brisk pace, possibly a run, the Greeks advanced across the plain towards the Persian camp. Tomb of the Plataeans at Marathon. The mens last two Early in the morning, the hoplites once more met the enemy, but this time Xerxes could attack from both front and rear and planned to do so but, in the event, the Immortals behind the Greeks were late on arrival. The Greeks, fielding the largest hoplite army ever seen, won the battle and finally ended Xerxes' ambitions in Greece. Dept. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The pass had also been fortified by the local Phokians who built a defensive wall running from the so-called Middle Gate down to the sea. of History, US Military Academy (CC BY-SA). But he took no time to mourn. Darius sent an army of around 25,000 or 30,000 soldiers to punish the Athenians and take control of Greece. He spread the center of the line thin to extend its reach so as to lower the risk of being encircled, and placed his strongest soldiers on the two wings a direct contrast to the normal order of battle in the ancient world, which concentrated strength in the center. Pursuing the enemy, the Greeks were slowed by their heavy armor, but still managed to capture seven Persian ships. They joined with the Spartans and King Leonidas during the legendary suicidal stand in the pass of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans stood against tens of thousands of Persian soldiers. By the end of the battle, between 5,000 and 6,500 Persians lay dead on the field. The romantic tale of the runners joyful sacrifice (which caught the imagination of 19th century writers and popularized the myth, but was in reality far more impressive, and far less tragic) tells of an incredible long distance run to beg the military assistance of Sparta, and the determined quick march of the battle-worn Athenians from Marathon back to Athens to defend their city. Marathon This allowed Greek ideas to further develop and spread, greatly influencing the Western world even today. His comrades then fought fiercely to recover the body of the fallen king. Figure 2: A possible position of the Greek and Persian armies in an initial stand-off at Marathon. Why did the Athenians win at Marathon? Along with the tangible and strategic factors that propelled the Athenians to victory were several intangibles that factored in their favor , including their love of freedom and rights as citizens that they did not want to lose; the fear of what the Persians would do to their city and families if they were to lose the The Battle of Marathon took place in Greece, not far from Athens. Battle of Marathon: Summary, Facts & Map - Study.com In 490 BCE, the Battle of Marathon took place between Athenian Greeks, with help from Plataea, and the Persian Empire. The Spartans toured the battlefield at Marathon, and agreed that the Athenians had won a great victory. Olson says that this means the Battle of Marathon actually happened on 12 August 490 BC. This was compounded by the Greek's decision to run into the battle, limiting their exposure to the Persian arrows. 1 What happened to Athens after the Battle of Marathon? 10 generals at the head of 10,000 soldiers set out for Marathon, tight-lipped and fearful, but ready to fight to the last man if necessary. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. WebThe battles of Marathon and Thermopylae are two of the most famous engagements of antiquity fought in Greece. But their utter victory at Eretria, an ally of Athens and a city that they had laid siege to and enslaved after being offered surrender, was a tactical mistake that showed Persias hand. Thank you! At that time, the Ionian Greeks were subject to the Persian King Darius I. Defeated, the Persians departed from the area and sailed south to attack Athens directly. Herodotus, born a few years after the battle, based his judgment on eyewitness accounts. The Persians had realized they couldnt stay in the bay indefinitely, and decided to make the move that would risk the least amount of life (for the Persians. Greek tactics proved superior to those of the Persians. The pass of Thermopylae, located 150 km north of Athens was an excellent choice for defence with steep mountains running down into the sea leaving only a narrow marshy area along the coast. Peloponnesian War & Thucydides | What was the Peloponnesian War? Moreover, the Greek's armor and, particularly, shields helped negate the attacks from Persian archers. Cartwright, M. (2013, April 16). The Battle of Marathon was where Athenians thwarted the Persian attempt to subdue it. And the peoples of Peru were approximately 300 years away from cultivating the potato. Darius the Great Overview & Quotes | Who was King Darius? We want people all over the world to learn about history. began the Golden Age of Athens After the battle, Xerxes ordered that Leonidas' head be put on a stake and displayed at the battlefield. A glorious defeat maybe, but the fact remained that the way was now clear for Xerxes to push on into mainland Greece. Herodotus of Halicarnassus. 10 Facts About the Battle of Marathon | History Hit Miltiades employed a successful strategy in which he weakened the center of his force to strengthen its wings, causing confusion among the Persians. The Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. Now encircled on three sides, the entire Persian line collapsed and ran back toward their ships, the ferocious Greeks in hot pursuit, cutting down all those they could reach. Battle of Marathon Flashcards | Quizlet Those who could afford to do so would wear full bronze armor. The Spartan army couldnt possibly assemble and provide Athens the aid they requested for another ten days. In 490 BCE Greek forces led by Athens met the Persians in battle at Marathon and defeated the invaders. And though the Persians a civilization rich with its own intricacies and motivations have been vilified by the conflicts victors, had the Greeks fears been realized, the collective path of revolutionary ideas and the growth of societies would probably look nothing like they do today, and the modern world could be much different. iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order The Greeks had long been terrified of the Persian army, and even without the cavalry, their enemy still heavily outnumbered them. The Greek army inflicted a crushing defeat on the more numerous Persians, marking a turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. Battle of Marathon date revised | Nature The Persian infantry carried a lightweight (often crescent-shaped) wicker shield and were armed with a long dagger or battleaxe, a short spear, and composite bow. Mound ( soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the Battle of Marathon. On a sweltering summer day, the nine elected magisterial archons of Athens waited breathlessly for news, surrounded by a restless crowd of citizens. Their army, along with a small number of allies, had engaged with a larger force of Persians in the small bay of Marathon desperately hoping that the claustrophobic landscape would prevent the near-invincible forces led by King Darius I from wreaking terrible revenge on the city of Athens.