Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. was part of the first Persian invasion of Greece. Mark is a full-time author, researcher, historian, and editor. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. - 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 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. On his return to Athens, Pheidippides delivered the terrible news that no imminent support could be expected from the Spartans. Cartwright, M. (2013, April 16). 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. And, showing up a little late only a few days after the Athenians victory 2,000 Spartan soldiers arrived, having marched immediately upon the conclusion of their festival and moving their entire army over the 220 kilometers in only three days. No Persian accounts of the Greco-Persian Wars, including the Battle of Marathon, have been passed down to us. Even the Romans, famous for their legions, used a Greek-style hoplite army until 315 BCE. Figure 1: A map of Ancient Greece with regional dialects. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Gods of Death The Battle of Marathon took place in Greece, not far from Athens. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/persian-wars-battle-of-marathon-p2-2360876. The marathon race is named after the false story that Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens (a distance of 26.2 miles) to deliver news of the victory. Every hoplite carried a wooden shield, called a hoplon, with an outer layer made from bronze. The Persian Empire in 500 BC. Aside from ushering in an era of hoplite warfare, it also ensured that Greek ideas would be able to flourish and spread. The Battle on the plain of Marathon in September 490 BCE between Greeks and the invading forces of Persian king Darius I (r. 522-486 BCE) was a victory that would go down in folklore as the moment the Greek city-states showed the world their courage and excellence and won their liberty. An ambitious conjecture seeks to equate the 192 Marathon dead with the 192 equestrian figures on the Parthenon frieze. The Athenian and Plataean dead of Marathon were buried on the battlefield in two tumuli. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. On a sweltering summer day, the nine elected magisterial archons of Athens waited breathlessly for news, surrounded by a restless crowd of citizens. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The defeat at Marathon marked the end of the first Persian invasion of Greece, and the Persian force retreated to Asia. Thermopylae 480 BC: Last stand of the 300, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. In those days Greece was not a unified country, but a collection of independent city-states. THEN THE GREEKS MARCHED BACK TO ATHENS TO DEFEND THE CITY AGAINST As Greek and Persian warriors faced each other on the battlefield, the states of China were not yet a unified empire and would soon begin a centuries long period of warfare. Why was the battle of Marathon fought? Following Greek support for an uprising in Ionia (a coastal area in modern-day western Turkey), Darius I, emperor of the Persian Empire dispatched forces west to inflict retribution on those Greek city-states that had aided the rebels. At this point, the Greek center struggled against the Persian center. What happened at Battle of Marathon? It was a decision which bought time for the mobilization of Greek coalition forces that stood victorious against the same enemy at the decisive battles of Salamis and Platea tilting the scales of power in the Greco-Persian Wars towards Greece, and giving birth to an era of Athenian imperial expansion that eventually brought it to fight Sparta in the Peloponnesian War. Herodotus: History & Persian Wars | Who was Herodotus? Refusing to relent, the Athenians splashed into the sea after them, burning a few ships and managing to capture seven, bringing them to shore. We are victorious! echoed across the expectant crowd, and in the second before they broke into a jubilant celebration, Pheidippides, overcome with exhaustion, staggered and fell to the ground, dead or so the myth of the origins of the first Marathon goes. - Stories, Character Traits & Analysis, Xenophanes of Colophon: Philosophy, Quotes & Biography, AP World History - Hellenism and Athenian Philosophy: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Rise of the Roman Republic: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Fall of the Roman Empire: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Dark Ages: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - Early Middle Ages: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Medieval Warm Period: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The High Middle Ages: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - Asia, Africa & America (1000-1300 CE): Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Late Middle Ages: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Renaissance: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Age of Exploration: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Reformation Across Europe: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Elizabethan Era: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Enlightenment: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - Political, Technological, and Intellectual Developments (1750-1914): Tutoring Solution, AP World History - Colonialism: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - Imperialism: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - World War I: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - World War II: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - The Cold War and Other 20th Century World History: Tutoring Solution, AP World History - A Globalized World - 1980 & Beyond: Tutoring Solution, Portions of the AP World History Exam: Tutoring Solution, How to Write a Good Essay on Your AP World History Exam: Tutoring Solution, Developing and Writing Your AP World History Exam Essay: Tutoring Solution, NY Regents Exam - US History and Government: Help and Review, AP European History: Homework Help Resource, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, CLEP Western Civilization I - Ancient Near East to 1648 Prep, High School World History: Help and Review, Who was the Goddess Athena? Having trained dedicatedly for most of his life, he was able to travel long distances over difficult terrain, and at that moment, he was invaluable. The Persian army fought with tactics that proved inferior to those of the Greek hoplite armies. It looks like you were misusing this feature by going too fast. After the battle, Xerxes ordered that Leonidas' head be put on a stake and displayed at the battlefield. In winning the battle, as well as defeating the next Persian invasion ten years later, the Greeks secured their independence. "Battle of Thermopylae." The story of these day runners is the origin of the marathon race. 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. The Battle of Marathon was where Athenians thwarted the Persian attempt to subdue it. Rather than continue the fight against Athens elsewhere, the Persians retreated to their own territory. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Desperate, the Ionians asked many of the mainland Greek city-states to send help. Herodotus writes that before leaving the city, the Athenians sent a runner, Pheidippides, to Sparta to ask for aid. However, an unscrupulous traitor was about to tip the balance in favour of the invaders. Books It looks like you were misusing this feature by going too fast. The story of Pheidippides run from Athens to Sparta was recorded by Herodotus and then later corrupted by the Greek historian, Plutarch, into the tragic declaration of victory in Athens just before the runners own demise. Just why Greece was coveted by Persia is unclear. How old is the United States of America? The battle would take on mythical status amongst the Greeks, "Persian Wars: Battle of Marathon." These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The spread of these ideas continues to influence the world today, particularly in the West. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. Upon receiving the answer, he swore vengeance upon them, commanding one of his attendants to say to him, three times every day before he sat down to his dinner, Master, remember the Athenians.. A glorious defeat maybe, but the fact remained that the way was now clear for Xerxes to push on into mainland Greece. Hickman, Kennedy. 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. The Persian army had instilled fear in Greek cities for generations, and were believed to be practically undefeatable. This army met an army of about 11,000 Greeks at the bay of Marathon. Athens and Sparta were able to galvanize a number of cities, previously petrified at the thought of a Persian attack, into defending their homeland. As with most battles from this period, these numbers are suspect. Special interests include art, architecture, and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share. Hickman, Kennedy. Mary has a Master's Degree in History with 18 advanced hours in Government. Conceived as a purely maritime enterprise, Darius assigned command of the expedition to the Median admiral Datis and the son of the satrap of Sardis, Artaphernes. Most of what we know comes to us from the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who was writing of these events decades after they occurred. WebFor all of its significance, the Battle of Marathon admittedly did little more than delay the encroaching invaders. 6 Who was the Athenian runner who ran from Athens to Sparta? Tomb of the Plataeans at 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. THE PERSIANS WENT RUNNING FOR THEIR SHIPS. The Greek tactic of feigning a disorganised retreat and then turning on the enemy in the phalanx formation also worked well, lessening the threat from Persian arrows and perhaps the hoplites surprised the Persians with their disciplined mobility, a benefit of being a professionally trained army. Sailing with orders to attack Eretria and Athens, the fleet succeeded in sacking and burning their first objective. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Defeated, the Persians departed from the area and sailed south to attack Athens directly. Darius the Great Accomplishments: Lesson for Kids, Mycenae Civilization & Culture | Facts About Mycenaean Greece, Athens vs. Sparta | Life Differences Between Athens & Sparta. All rights reserved. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. He arrived in Sparta the day after departing Athens. 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. After a failed naval expedition in 492 BC, Darius sent a second army two years later. Led by Mardonius, this force succeeded in subjugating Thrace and Macedonia in 492 BC. The Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. of History, US Military Academy (CC BY-SA). The battle of Thermopylae, and particularly the Spartans' role in it, soon acquired mythical status amongst the Greeks. This easy submission was not soon forgotten by Athens and Sparta, and over the following years they watched as Persian influence spread ever closer towards them. Ephialtes, son of Eurydemos, a local shepherd from Trachis, seeking reward from Xerxes, informed the Persians of an alternative route the Anopaia path which would allow them to avoid the majority of the enemy forces and attack their southern flank. The Spartan army couldnt possibly assemble and provide Athens the aid they requested for another ten days. The Battle of Marathon was a historic battle that saw the great and mighty army of Persia face off against the Greek city-state of Athens. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Who was the winner of the Battle of Marathon? Persia wanted revenge for Athens disrespect, and they were going to get it. As panic spread in the Persian ranks, their lines began to break and they fled back to their ships. Michel Bral, of France, suggested recreating the famous poetic run, and the idea caught hold. 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. Here are 10 facts about it. Greek Dark Ages Facts & Culture | When was the Greek Dark Age? Thus the Athenians, initially, went to face the Persians alone. 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. Cite This Work Leonidas moved his troops to the widest part of the pass to utilise all of his men at once, and in the ensuing clash the Spartan king was killed. They were joined by 1,000 Plataeans and assistance was requested from Sparta. That hope for leniency was met with severe and brutal disappointment as the Persians sacked the city, burned the temples, and enslaved the population. The Battle of Marathon occurred in 490 BCE, when the Persian Empire was at its height. Peloponnesian War Causes & Results | What Caused the Peloponnesian War? This assistance came to nothing, and the revolt was put down in 493 BCE. 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. Greek tactics proved superior to those of the Persians. This stubbornness forced the two armies to remain at a stalemate for about five days, facing one another across the plain of Marathon with only minor skirmishes breaking out, the Greeks managing to keep hold of their nerve and their defensive line. There is also a lesser known, grueling, long-distance event of 246 kilometers (153 miles) that recreates Pheidippides actual run from Athens to Sparta, known as the Spartathlon.. The front row would hold their shield in front and present a solid shield-wall. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. They then joined and turned around to attack the Persian center from behind, routing the entire Persian army. The Spartans declined to send aid at that time, due to a religious ceremony, but promised to come after the next full moon. The result of the battle was, however, indecisive and on news of Leonidas' defeat, the fleet withdrew to Salamis. The Persians could guess what the Greeks were up to they would have done the same had they been on the defensive and so they hesitated to launch a decisive frontal attack. The Greeks had no problem closing the distance and engaging the Persian army at close-range. King Xerxes I Biography, Facts & Death | Who is King Xerxes? With no choice but to act, the Greeks took the initiative. The battle was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate Greece. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. The History of Guns, Greek Mythology: Stories, Characters, Gods, and Culture, Aztec Mythology: Important Stories and Characters, Greek Gods and Goddesses: Family Tree and Fun Facts, Roman Gods and Goddesses: The Names and Stories of 29 Ancient Roman Gods, https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-html/, The XYZ Affair: Diplomatic Intrigue and a Quasi-War with France, 3/5 Compromise: The Definition Clause that Shaped Political Representation, iPhone History: A Timeline of Every Model in Order, US History Timeline: The Dates of Americas Journey, Ancient Civilizations Timeline: The Complete List from Aboriginals to Incans, Why Are Hot Dogs Called Hot Dogs? 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. In a phalanx formation, the hoplites would stand close together, usually in columns of eight. After the Athenians impressive defeat of the Persians, Datis the general in charge of leading Darius army withdrew his forces from Grecian territory and returned to Persia. How did the Battle of Marathon affect Athens? Using innovative tactics, he succeeded in trapping the Persians in a double envelopment and nearly surrounding their army. Peloponnesian War & Thucydides | What was the Peloponnesian War? In 490 BCE Greek forces led by Athens met the Persians in battle at Marathon and defeated the invaders. Having somewhere in the region of 80,000 troops at his disposal, the Persian king, who led the invasion in person, first waited four days in expectation that the Greeks would flee in panic. Darius the Great Overview & Quotes | Who was King Darius? The Greeks had long been terrified of the Persian army, and even without the cavalry, their enemy still heavily outnumbered them. The wall was in a state of ruin, but the Spartans made the best repairs they could in the circumstances. 2. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The Battle of Marathon was a conflict fought in 490 B.C. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. They werent so concerned about the Greeks; the exact opposite, actually). Mound ( soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the Battle of Marathon. Encamping on the edge of the Plain of Marathon, they faced a Persian force numbering between 20-60,000. The Greek position was a terribly precarious one. 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 began with an initial stalemate that lasted for five days, after which the Greeks attacked. Mound (soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the Battle of Marathon. 429 lessons. The Greeks sent a no-nonsense reply by executing the envoys, and Athens and Sparta promised to form an alliance for the defence of Greece. ThoughtCo, Sep. 9, 2021, thoughtco.com/persian-wars-battle-of-marathon-p2-2360876. The two opposing armies were essentially representative of the two approaches to Classical warfare - Persian warfare favoured long-range assault using archers followed up with a cavalry charge, whilst the Greeks favoured heavily-armoured hoplites, arranged in a densely packed formation called the phalanx, with each man carrying a heavy round bronze shield and fighting at close quarters using spears and swords. It does not store any personal data. Whatever the exact motives, in 491 BCE Darius sent envoys to call for the Greeks' submission to Persian rule. In around 500 BCE, the Persian Empire looked poised to continue their western expansion and absorb tiny, disunited Greece into their fold. They left their infantry to keep the Athenian army occupied at Marathon, but under cover of darkness theyd packed up and loaded their fast-moving cavalry back onto their ships. Even so, it wouldnt be until 500 B.C. This was not forthcoming as the Athenian messenger had arrived during the festival of Carneia, a sacred time of peace. This victorys importance would become even more critical some years later, when Darius son, Xerxes I, launched a colossal invasion of Greece. If Persia had managed to burn Athens to the ground, what would our world be like, having never heard the words of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle? This suited the Persians as they could now continue unimpeded along the mountain path and arrive behind the main Greek force. WebWhat happened at the battle of Marathon? According to Herodotus, an Athenian runner named Pheidippides was sent to run from Athens to Sparta to ask for assistance before the battle. Battle of Salamis History & Strategy | Who Won the Battle of Salamis? - Mythology & Facts, Who was Telemachus? This event was later conflated with the soon-to-be victorious Athenians marching back to Athens at a quickened pace. He claimed that the day before the battle a messenger, Phidippides, was sent to Sparta with a request for help. 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. The Athenian and Plataean dead of Marathon were buried on the battlefield in two tumuli. The Greeks captured seven of the Persian ships, though the rest managed to launch and escape. 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. Battle of Thermopylae. This legendary run is the basis for the modern track and field event. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. These ideas were later rediscovered and adopted by the Renaissance thinkers of Europe in the 14th - 16th centuries, and they continue to heavily influence the Western world today. In another feat of incredible strength and endurance, the main body of the Athenians reformed and marched back to Athens at top speed, arriving in time to dissuade the Persian army from landing and launching their planned attack on the city. Why did Persia lose the Battle of Marathon? Olympos, but these withdrew when the massive size of the invading army was revealed. Cartwright, Mark. The Romans also adopted many Greek ideas and further spread them as they conquered their own vast territories. Battle of Marathon. The Persian defeat at Marathon halted the Persian Empire's western expansion, and ensured continued Greek The incorrect version of events has Pheidippides running from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the victory and dying of exhaustion immediately afterwards. The Byzantine Suda, Cavalry Away, https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-html/. After nearly a week of inaction, the Greek commander, Militiades, moved forward to attack despite being badly outnumbered. For decades the mere mention of the Persian army was enough to terrify the Greek city-states they were an unknown entity, supported by incredibly strong cavalry and vast numbers of soldiers, and seemingly impossible for the small, contentious peninsula to confront. Anticipating this, Militiades quickly returned the bulk of the army to the city. The Greeks learning these lessons when they did had a powerful impact on the course of world history. Their king, who had watched Persias forces easily consume all that stood in their path in the years leading up to this, was far too terrified to resist the takeover. 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). Why was the battle of Marathon fought?
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