Battle of Marathon

The Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE was a Greek victory by the allied armies of Athens and Platea over the Persian Army. Their success was due to the use of the Hoplite Phalanx despite the Greeks being outnumbered by 10 to 1.
It was a turning point in Greek History and in Western Civilisation as the Greeks realised for the first time that the Persians could be beaten.

Darius sent Ambassadors in 491 BCE.
In 491 BCE Darius sent ambassadors to every Greek City demanding submission to Persia.
Based on the Persian success in Thrace and Macedon, they all complied, except for Athens and Sparta, who executed the Persian ambassadors.
The Persian Fleet takes the Cyclades in 490 BCE
In 490 BCE, a Persian fleet arrived in the Cyclades under the Persian Commanders, Datis and Artaphernes. Starting with Naxos, the fleet then proceeded to occupy the entire group of islands, absorbing them into the Persian Empire.
After this the Persian Fleet arrived at Eretria where they enslaved the population and burnt the city to the ground.
The fleet then arrived off Marathon, intending to besiege and raze Athens.

A small army left Athens and was joined by the Plataeans, but the Spartans declined to fight with them until they had finished celebrating a religious festival.

The size of the Forces at Marathon:

- Persia:
  - 600 Triremes and between 100,000 to 200,000 men according to Herodotus.
- Greeks:
  - 9,000 Athenians and 1,000 Plataeans. Plutarch.

General Miltiades Strategy

The Athenian army arrived in the Plain of Marathon and proceeded to close the land exits to prevent escape or encirclement.
Miltiades then selected a marshy battleground that the Persian Cavalry would be unable to operate in.

The Battle

Miltiades proceeded with a frontal attack which had the effect of enticing the Persian Infantry-Bowmen to move forward.
As they advanced the Greek soldiers on the flanks started to close in around them in an unplanned pincer movement.
With no Persian cavalry to defend the infantry-bowmen, the enclosing flanks cut down their ranks, and the survivors were massacred as they tried to escape back to their boats.

Athenian victory

The result was an Athenian triumph, however, the Persian Fleet set sail with the survivors, intending to attack Athens, which had no army to defend it.
Miltiades understood the threat, and quickly withdrew his army from Marathon and raced back in time to prevent the Persians from disembarking.
The Persian fleet gave up and sailed back to Asia Minor, ending the first Persian Invasion of Greece.

The Persian navy still retained control of the Cyclades.
However, the Persians were unable to return due to a major rebellion in Egypt
The Battle of Marathon was a turning point in Greek History, and in Western History.
The Athenians realised for the first time that they did not need the Spartans to win in battle.
Marathon generated a belief amongst all Greeks that the Persians could be beaten.

It was the first time the Hoplite Phalanx formation was seen to be devastating.
Although vulnerable to cavalry, the Hoplight Phalanx became the dominant force in Greek Warfare during the Greek Classical Period.
The Hoplight Phalanx went on delay the Persians at Thermopylae 480 BCE, and defeat them completely at Plataea 479 BCE.

Trophy of the Battle of Marathon