Figure 1: A map of Ancient Greece with regional dialects. The battle would take on mythical status amongst the Greeks, As panic spread in the Persian ranks, their lines began to break and they fled back to their ships. Leonidas had stationed the contingent of Phokian troops to guard this vital point but they, thinking themselves the primary target of this new development, withdrew to a higher defensive position when the Immortals attacked. The Spartans toured the battlefield at Marathon, and agreed that the Athenians had won a great victory. This was not forthcoming as the Athenian messenger had arrived during the festival of Carneia, a sacred time of peace. Persia wanted revenge for Athens disrespect, and they were going to get it. The battle occurred on the beach, near the Persian ships, and can be visualized using the map of the Battle of Marathon in figure 2. Then after much discussion and compromise between Greek city-states, suspicious of each others' motives, a joint army of between 6,000 and 7,000 men was sent to defend the pass at Thermopylae through which the Persians must enter mainland Greece. Michel Bral, of France, suggested recreating the famous poetic run, and the idea caught hold. Dept. Though todays official marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers is not based on the run in Greece, but rather on the distance regularized by the 1908 Olympics in London. During the battle, the right and left wings of the Greek army crushed those of the Persians. As Herodotus claims in his account of the battle in book VII of The Histories, the Oracle at Delphi had been proved right when she proclaimed that either Sparta or one of her kings must fall. He also has secondary teaching certification from the state of Michigan. With no choice but to act, the Greeks took the initiative. (2021, September 9). On a sweltering summer day, the nine elected magisterial archons of Athens waited breathlessly for news, surrounded by a restless crowd of citizens. Enraged and preparing himself for another attack on Greece, he sent messengers to every one of its major cities and demanded they offer up earth and water a symbol of total submission. The Greeks captured seven of the Persian ships, though the rest managed to launch and escape. When word was brought to Darius, his first response was to inquire as to who the Athenians were. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. Those who could afford to do so would wear full bronze armor. 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. Losing 300 ships and 20,000 men in the disaster, Mardonius elected to withdraw back towards Asia. But the Greeks had managed to overcome insurmountable odds and succeed in protecting Athens, the jewel of Greece, from total annihilation. The Greek army inflicted a crushing defeat on the more numerous Persians, marking a turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. Hoplites fighting in a phalanx became the most common method of warfare for hundreds of years. The Greek victory over the Persians also proved the superiority of the phalanx over the tactics used by eastern powers. Read about what happened at the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece. A full marathon race is 42.195 km, or 26.2 miles - the exact distance between Marathon and Athens. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A Grecian named Yiannis Kouros was the first to win it and still holds the fastest times ever recorded. 6 Who was the Athenian runner who ran from Athens to Sparta? Olson says that this means the Battle of Marathon actually happened on 12 August 490 BC. This is, in very large part, due to the skill of arms of the Greeks who fought and won their victory at Marathon. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Athenians led a small group of Greek coalition forces to victory against the powerful invading Persian army, which was much larger and much more dangerous. Greek Dark Ages Facts & Culture | When was the Greek Dark Age? In the map seen in figure 1, some of the most important city-states can be found, including Athens. Battle of Salamis History & Strategy | Who Won the Battle of Salamis? For five days the armies squared off with little movement. Also for the first time in military history, the phalanx in its entirety does not have the same mission. King Xerxes I Biography, Facts & Death | Who is King Xerxes? Mound (soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the 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. - Mythology & Facts, Who was Telemachus? Battle of Marathon, (September 490 bce), in the Greco-Persian Wars, decisive battle fought on the Marathon plain of northeastern Attica in which the Athenians, in a single afternoon, repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece. of History, US Military Academy (CC BY-SA). Most of what we know comes to us from the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who was writing of these events decades after they occurred. The Greeks were spurred on by desperate courage, and they were determined to clash with the Persian army to defend their freedom. Something they would have to do only a few years later, with the arrival of the seemingly unstoppable invasion by Xerxes I. The rest of the Persian fleet still with a staggering 600 ships or more managed to escape, but 6,400 Persians lay dead on the battlefield, and more had drowned in the swamps. The Athenians realized they had only two options to defend their families to the end, or to be killed, very likely tortured, enslaved, or mutilated (as the Persian army had a fun habit of cutting off the ears, noses, and hands of their defeated enemies). He also knew that Marathon was far enough away that the Athenians wouldnt be able to surprise him while his own forces unloaded the ships, a scene of utter pandemonium that would have placed his men in a vulnerable position. With all prepared, the trumpets sounded and Miltiades ordered, At them!. Seeing that the opportunity to strike the previously lightly-defended city had passed, the Persians withdrew back to Asia. A commotion outside the city walls caught the attention of the archons, and suddenly the gates were thrust open. If the Persian army made it to the city, they would be able to block whatever might remain of the Greek army from returning to defend it, and Athens had no remaining soldiers left within. Desperation can be a powerful motivator. Whatever the case, the Persian horses played no significant role in the coming battle. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Every hoplite carried a wooden shield, called a hoplon, with an outer layer made from bronze. Political Aspects of the Classical Age of Greece, Wars of the Alexander the Great: Battle of Chaeronea, Persian Wars - Battle of Marathon - 490 BCE, Biography of Artemisia I, Warrior Queen of Halicarnassus, Rulers of the Persian Empire: Expansionism of Cyrus and Darius, The Battle of Gaugamela During the Wars of Alexander the Great, The Peloponnesian War: Causes of the Conflict, M.S., Information and Library Science, Drexel University, B.A., History and Political Science, Pennsylvania State University. The dry reed buildings went up like tinder, and the resulting inferno consumed the city. The Persian navy landed at the bay of Marathon, around 40 kilometers (25 miles) northeast of Athens, and the Athenians marched out to meet them. The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC during the first Persian invasion of Greece. In 490 BCE, they were stopped in their tracks largely by the efforts of a single Greek city, Athens. The Battle of Marathon was fought because the Persian Army wanted to defeat the Greek city-states that supported the uprisings in Ionia, part of modern-day Turkey, against the Persian Empire. Before the Athenian army departed, the elected city magistrates, or archons, had dispatched Pheidippides an athletic message carrier whose profession, called a hemerodromos (meaning day-long-runner), bordered a sacred calling on a desperate plea for assistance. As with most battles from this period, these numbers are suspect. Taking heaving losses, the Persian ranks broke and they fled back to their ships. Depots of equipment and supplies were laid, a canal dug at Chalkidike, and boat bridges built across the Hellespont to facilitate the movement of troops. Darius I, king of Persia whod likely set his sights on Greece as far back as 513 B.C. The Greek right and left wings, however, quickly routed the Persian left and right. WebWhat happened at the battle of Marathon? The Battle of Marathon also gave rise to the legend of Pheidippides who reputedly ran from the battlefield to Athens to bring news of the victory. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. 1 What happened to Athens after the Battle of Marathon? The Battle of Marathon also gave rise to the legend that the Athenian herald Pheidippides ran from the battlefield to Athens to announce the Greek victory before dropping dead. As an interesting footnote: the important strategic position of Thermopylae meant that it was once more the scene of battle in 279 BCE when the Greeks faced invading Gauls, in 191 BCE when a Roman army defeated Antiochus III, and even as recent as 1941 CE when Allied New Zealand forces clashed with those of Germany. The Greek hoplite army's victory at Marathon ensured that the Greek city-states would continue to be independent, rather than becoming just another part of the Persian Empire. WebThe Athenian Treasury at Delphi was built out of the spoils of the battle. The Battle of Marathon was a conflict between Athens and the Persian Empire in 490 B.C.E that stemmed from Athenians providing aid to rebels in Ionia who were fighting An ambitious conjecture seeks to equate the 192 Marathon dead with the 192 equestrian figures on the Parthenon frieze. In winning the battle, as well as defeating the next Persian invasion ten years later, the Greeks secured their independence. READ MORE: 16 Oldest Ancient Civilizations. A force made primarily of Athenians attacked Sardis an old and significant metropolis of Asia Minor (most of what is modern-day Turkey) and one soldier, likely overcome with the ardor of mid-battle enthusiasm, accidentally started a fire in a small dwelling. The spread of these ideas continues to influence the world today, particularly in the West. The Battle of Marathon was where Athenians thwarted the Persian attempt to subdue it. On his return to Athens, Pheidippides delivered the terrible news that no imminent support could be expected from the Spartans. Who was the winner of the Battle of Marathon? The Persian defeat at Marathon halted the Persian Empire's western expansion, and ensured continued Greek The remaining hoplites, now trapped and without their inspirational king, were subjected to a barrage of Persian arrows until no man was left standing. Though the Persians did try again with a second invasion in 480 BCE, that, too, was ultimately beaten back by the Greeks in 479 BCE. Athenians led a small group of Greek coalition forces to victory Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Our mission is to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. On the sixth day, however, the Athenians inexplicably abandoned their plan of maintaining a defensive stance and attacked the Persians, a decision that seems foolhardy considering the enemy they faced. The battle of Thermopylae, and particularly the Spartans' role in it, soon acquired mythical status amongst the Greeks. When news of the invading force reached Greece, the initial Greek reaction was to send a force of 10,000 hoplites to hold position at the valley of Temp near Mt. We care about our planet! Ten years later the Persians returned and achieved several victories before being expelled from Greece. It does not store any personal data. This tale of romantic sacrifice then caught the attention of author Robert Browning in 1879, who wrote a poem entitled Pheidippides, which deeply engaged his contemporaries. Shortly afterward, the Persian center also crumbled and fled. This was later conflated with the victorious Athenian army marching back to Athens at a quickened pace. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. The distance between the Greeks and the Persians was around one mile, mostly open plains. Greek tactics proved superior to those of the Persians. The Spartans toured the battlefield at Marathon, and agreed that the Athenians had won a great victory. Persian soldiers, on the other hand, were more lightly armored. In this lesson, pupils will play a starter game to learn about warfare in Ancient Greek times, including armour and fighting formation. With hard to meet entry requirements and checkpoints set up during the actual race, the course is much more extreme, and runners are often pulled before the end due to being overly fatigued. What were the consequences of the battle of Marathon? I feel like its a lifeline. With their position now seemingly hopeless, and before their retreat was cut off completely, the bulk of the Greek forces were ordered to withdraw by Leonidas. It managed to endure six days of brutal siege before two noblemen of high standing betrayed the city and opened the gates, believing that their surrender would mean their survival. The Persian Empire landed a force of about 25,000 or 30,000 soldiers at the Bay of Marathon, where they were decisively defeated by a Greek force of about 11,000 hoplite soldiers. Many debated whether to attack immediately or wait for the Spartans to come. The victory at Marathon may not have been a crushing defeat of Persia as a whole, but it still stands as a major turning point. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". World History Encyclopedia. The Greek position was a terribly precarious one. A fully accurate recounting of the events at Marathon can never truly be known. Left to fend for themselves, the Athenian and Plataeans continued to prepare for battle. Refusing to relent, the Athenians splashed into the sea after them, burning a few ships and managing to capture seven, bringing them to shore. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. THE GREEK GENERAL, MILTIADES, AFTER MUCH HESITATION, STARTED WITH MEN IN THE CENTER MOVING FORWARD AND HAD SOLDIERS COME AROUND THE SIDES ALSO TO ATTACK. With the departure of the cavalry, the Persian army left to face them were significantly reduced in numbers. Around fifty years before this time, the Persians, centered in the south of modern-day Iran, had rapidly expanded their territories to include Ionia, a small area on the western coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) that was originally settled by Greek colonists. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. World History Encyclopedia. Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. The Battle of Marathon was the first major victory for the Greeks over the Persians and gave them confidence that they could be defeated. The Spartan army couldnt possibly assemble and provide Athens the aid they requested for another ten days. Miltiades had his center form columns of only four men, rather than eight. 30 Apr 2023. Displeased with Mardonius' failure, Darius began planning a second expedition for 490 BC after learning of political instability in Athens. When the two fleets finally met, the Greeks fought late in the day and therefore limited the duration of each skirmish which diminished the numerical advantage held by the Persians. Cite This Work The wall was in a state of ruin, but the Spartans made the best repairs they could in the circumstances. 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. Create your account. But reconciling Greek historian Herodotuss accounts with a line in the Byzantine historical record known as the Suda gives a reasonable explanation as to why they might have done so. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". In their mutual refusal to bow down, the traditional rivals for power in the Grecian Peninsula had tied themselves together as both allies and leaders in the defense against Persia. Years prior, he had accompanied the Persian king, Darius I, during his campaigns against the fierce nomadic warrior tribes north of the Caspian Sea. And the peoples of Peru were approximately 300 years away from cultivating the potato. The Greeks had long been terrified of the Persian army, and even without the cavalry, their enemy still heavily outnumbered them. - Mythology, Overview, Emperor Henry IV of the Holy Roman Empire, King Henry IV of France: Biography & History, Calling of Saint Matthew by Caravaggio: Analysis, Allegory of the Outbreak of War by Peter Paul Rubens, Altdorfer's The Battle of Alexander at Issus: Subject & Style, Lucas Cranach the Elder: Biography & Paintings, Working Scholars Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. The Greeks would amass over 300 triremes and perhaps their main purpose was to prevent the Persian fleet sailing down the inland coast of Lokris and Boeotia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/thermopylae/. There are three different ways you can cite this article. World History Encyclopedia. Whatever the exact motives, in 491 BCE Darius sent envoys to call for the Greeks' submission to Persian rule. Datis chose to land his army at the Bay of Marathon, a largely sound military decision, as the natural promontory provided excellent shelter for his ships, and the plains onshore offered good movement for his cavalry. The modern marathon race is named for this incorrect telling of events. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. 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Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. It is possible that the Persian cavalry was not present at this time, thus prompting the Greeks to attack at that moment. In around 500 BCE, the Persian Empire looked poised to continue their western expansion and absorb tiny, disunited Greece into their fold. By the first years of the 5th century BCE, the Persian Achaemenid Empire, under the rule of Darius I (r. 522-486 BCE), was already expanding into mainland Europe and had subjugated Thrace and Macedonia. When the Greeks held their position, Xerxes once again sent envoys to offer the defenders a last chance to surrender without bloodshed if the Greeks would only lay down their arms. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Thus the Athenians, initially, went to face the Persians alone. They fully understood the advantages that the Greeks were deriving from their position, and while they might be able to overwhelm them eventually by virtue of numbers, losing a large portion of their Persian forces on a foreign shore was a logistical problem that Datis was not willing to risk. Pericles, the Delian League, and the Athenian Golden Age. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Due to the tactical superiority of the Greek hoplite soldiers, who fought in the phalanx formation, the Athenians triumphed over the Persians. Darius sent an army of around 25,000 or 30,000 soldiers to punish the Athenians and take control of Greece. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Cartwright, Mark. Desperate, the Ionians asked many of the mainland Greek city-states to send help. While many have criticized Herodotus' works, the general consensus among modern historians is that his accounts are reasonably accurate, though some of his details, such as the number of soldiers who fought, should be viewed skeptically. 3. Faced with the same terrible and fast approaching enemy, debate raged in Athens as it had in Eretria as to the safest course of action for the city, the downside to democracy being the slow and dissentious style of decision making. https://www.thoughtco.com/persian-wars-battle-of-marathon-p2-2360876 (accessed May 1, 2023). The Greeks then formed a phalanx by standing close together, typically in columns of eight, and using long spears to strike at their enemies from behind a wall of shields. Pursuing the Greek center, the Persians quickly found themselves flanked on both sides by Militiades' strengthened wings which had routed their opposite numbers. The struggle between the rapidly growing Persian Empire and Greece had been an ongoing conflict for years, before the Battle of Marathon itself took place.
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