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Hughes, Tristan. “10 Facts About the Battle of Marathon.” Historyhit.com, 1 Aug. 2018, https://www.historyhit.com/facts-about-the-battle-of-marathon/.

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The first encounter on the Greek mainland between East (Persia) and West (Greece) took place in August or September of 490 B.C., on the small seaside plain of Marathon, 26 miles northeast of Athens.

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Between 499 and 493 BC, the Greeks in Asia Minor (modern-day western Turkey), revolted against the Persian Empire. They were aided in this struggle by two Greek cities to the west of the Aegean sea: Athens and Eretria.

By 493 BC, the Persians had crushed this revolt. Yet the Athenians’ support of the Ionian Greeks had put their city at odds with the most powerful man in the world, the Great King of Persia, Darius I – and he wasn’t about to forget it. Every night Darius had a servant remind him after dinner, “Remember the Athenians”.

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499 BC, Aristagoras leads the Greek city states of Ionia in rebellion against the world's first superpower, the Persian Empire. This historic revolt last 6 years from 499 to 493 BC, although his mini-documentary covers the 5 years where the outcome was still unsure. Thank you for watching and subscribe for more content!

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The Persian Expedition was the largest amphibious invasion the world had ever seen

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The Persian Expedition was the largest amphibious invasion the world had ever seen

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In 490 BC, Darius ordered a Persian expedition to cross the Aegean and punish Athens and Eretria for their role in the Ionian Revolt. Under the command of a Mede (someone who hailed from Media in modern-day northwestern Iran) called Dates and Darius’ nephew Artaphernes, 600 triremes (oar-powered warships) set sail for Greece.

It is probable there were also substantial numbers of transport ships to carry horses and supplies. It is commonly believed that the Persian army being transported numbered between 25,000 and 30,000 men. Never before had the world seen such a large amphibious invasion.

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Here's a quick video summery of the Marathon war

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An Athenian guided the Persian expedition

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An Athenian guided the Persian expedition

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These part-time soldiers were equipped in bronze armor and armed primarily with a spear called a doru and a large bronze-covered shield called an aspis. They fought in tight formations called phalanxes.

Despite not being full-time soldiers, these men were more than a match for the enemy’s lightly-clad infantry in close combat. The hoplite style of fighting would go on to epitomize ancient Greek warfare.

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The Greek army at Marathon consisted mainly of Athenians as well as a small force of Plataeans. But there were no Spartans present; at that time, the city-state of Sparta’s legendary soldiers were in the middle of celebrating a religious festival.

Although the Spartans promised to send military aid to the Athenians, their laws stated they could only do so after the full moon had passed. Their aid thus arrived too late to help the Athenian army.

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 … and neither, it would seem, was the Persian cavalry

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 … and neither, it would seem, was the Persian cavalry

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Mystery shrouds the whereabouts of the Persian cavalry – a force that was crucial to the empire’s military tactics – on the day of the Battle of Marathon. Some believe they were away, gathering supplies from nearby villages; others believe they were still at the Persian camp, not yet ready for battle.

Others still suggest they had already been boarded onto ships destined to attack Athens.

Whatever the reason, it seems more than likely that the cavalry was indeed split off from the Persian army on that morning.

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Upon hearing reports that the deadly Persian cavalry was elsewhere, the Athenian army – commanded by Miltiades – realised this was their opportunity to attack. Descending onto the plain, the hoplites slowly advanced towards the Persians before charging the last 100 metres in full armour.

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Although Miltiades kept both flanks of his force at full strength, he weakened the centre of his infantry phalanx to four ranks deep, which was half its usual depth.

This nearly proved disastrous as the weakened Athenian centre almost collapsed in the ensuing fight. Luckily for Miltiades, however, his army’s stronger wings overcame the Persians’ outer flanks before enveloping the remaining Persians in the centre. Athens’ victory soon followed.

The Athenians lost 192 men at Marathon, mostly, we can presume, in the weakened Athenian center. Their burial mound – known as “Soros” – is still visible to this day on the plain of Marathon.

As for the Persians, their 6,000 dead were left unburied, a visual spectacle for any wishing to know what the easterners looked like

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The marathon running race originates from the Athenians’ victory

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The marathon running race originates from the Athenians’ victory

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Following their success at Marathon, legend has it the Athenians dispatched a runner named Pheidippides to announce the victory in Athens – some 26 miles away. Upon reaching Athens, Pheidippides is said to have exclaimed, “Nike!” (the Greek word for victory), before collapsing dead from exhaustion.

The 26.2-mile-long marathon run around the world today remembers the run of the soldier Pheidippides.