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. 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. But, in late 486 B.C., only a handful of years after Marathon, he became seriously ill. It looks like you were misusing this feature by going too fast. As soon as Athens learned of Datis arrival, their army marched immediately, having been held in readiness since word had arrived of the fall of Eretria. And worse to the slaughter or imprisonment of their families; their wives; their children. Most modern historians believe the Greeks marched at normal speed until they arrived within range of the Persian archers (approximately 200 meters) and then ran the remaining distance in order to close the gap more quickly. Due to the tactical superiority of the Greek hoplite soldiers, who fought in the phalanx formation, the Athenians triumphed over the Persians. 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. As Simonedes' epitaph at the site of the fallen stated: 'Go tell the Spartans, you who read: We took their orders and here lie dead'. The Origin of Hotdogs, The History of Boracay Island in The Philippines. The battle of Marathon is characterized by the unequal distribution of hoplites within the phalanx. 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. An ambitious conjecture seeks to equate the 192 Marathon World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. The wall was in a state of ruin, but the Spartans made the best repairs they could in the circumstances. What were the consequences of the battle of Marathon? began the Golden Age of Athens 3. The Battle of Marathon was the first major victory for the Greeks over the Persians and gave them confidence that they could be defeated. Forming his men, Militiades reinforced his wings by weakening his center. In the resulting battle, the Persian arrows proved almost entirely ineffective against Greek armor and shields. Related Content Shortly afterward, the Persian center also crumbled and fled. 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. What happened at Battle of Marathon? The front row would hold their shield in front and present a solid shield-wall. of History, US Military Academy (CC BY-SA). Persia, with the largest empire in the world, was vastly superior in men and resources and now these would be fully utilised for a full-scale attack. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. WebMarathon soon became an almost mythical event. Special interests include art, architecture, and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share. When did Terry Fox start his marathon of Hope? February 1979 Terry begins training for his Marathon of Hope, a cross-Canada run to raise money for cancer research and awareness. During his training he runs over 5,000 kilometres (3,107 miles). There would be no compromises. The Battle of Marathon - Facts, Summary, and Significance - S Athens, along with the smaller port city of Eretria, were amenable to the cause and readily pledged their assistance. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/persian-wars-battle-of-marathon-p2-2360876. Rather than pursue the fleeing Persians, these two wings of the Greek army joined together, turned around, and attacked the Persian center from behind. Why did Persia lose the Battle of Marathon? Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Because they could spread freely, these ideas greatly influenced the history of the world, particularly in the West. 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. that Darius would make strides towards the conquest of stronger Greek resistance. In 490 BCE Greek forces led by Athens met the Persians in battle at Marathon and defeated the invaders. 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. Pheidippides ran to Sparta, a distance of about 220 kilometers (over 135 miles), in only two days. Tomb of the Plataeans at Marathon. King Xerxes I Biography, Facts & Death | Who is King Xerxes? 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). Persia wanted revenge for Athens disrespect, and they were going to get it. The Battle of Marathon was where Athenians thwarted the Persian attempt to subdue it. The Athenians used day runners to ask for aid from Sparta and Plataea before the start of the battle. 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. 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. The Greek army inflicted a crushing defeat on the more numerous Persians, marking a turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. The Persian cavalry were armed as the foot soldiers, with a bow and an additional two javelins for throwing and thrusting. 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. 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. During the battle, the right and left wings of the Greek army crushed those of the Persians. 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. Thank you! The modern running event takes its name from his supposed actions. 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. Why was the Battle of Marathon important? The battle was the culmination of the first attempt by Persia, under King Darius I, to subjugate Greece. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. A commotion outside the city walls caught the attention of the archons, and suddenly the gates were thrust open. Mound (soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the 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. Having caught the enemy in a double envelopment, the Greeks began to inflict heavy casualties on the lightly armored Persians. The battle proved the superiority of the Greek long spear, sword, and armour over the Persians weapons. The runner Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta and back again in just three days. The Greco-Persian Wars Results & Significance | What Caused the Greco-Persian Wars? The Athenians knew that to stay on the defensive in the battle of Marathon would mean returning to a destroyed home, their city plundered and burned. 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 Greek position was a terribly precarious one. 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? As panic spread in the Persian ranks, their lines began to break and they fled back to their ships. Read about what happened at the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece. 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. Instead, he turned around and made the incredible run, another 220 kilometers over rocky, mountainous terrain in just two days, back to Marathon, warning the Athenians that no immediate help could be expected from Sparta. 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. Moving quickly, Miltiades carefully lined up the Greek forces opposite to the Persian approach. 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 Battle of Marathon was the first major victory for the Greeks over the Persians and gave them confidence that they could be defeated. In 490 BCE Greek forces led by Athens met the Persians in battle at Marathon and defeated the invaders. 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. 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. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. 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. WebYoure Temporarily Blocked. A victory that proved to them that, together, and with the use of careful timing and tactics, they could stand up to the might of the great Persian Empire. Moving a brisk pace, possibly a run, the Greeks advanced across the plain towards the Persian camp. But the Greeks had managed to overcome insurmountable odds and succeed in protecting Athens, the jewel of Greece, from total annihilation. 1. He suggests that the summer heat of August may have pushed the runner At the Battle of Marathon, Athens' underdog victory stunned Persia The surprise defeat of the mighty Persian Empire in 490 B.C. The Greeks, who did not have cavalry or archers, could not safely cross the plains while the Persian cavalry were present. Cyrus the Great Facts & Achievements | Who was King Cyrus the Great? The Battle of Marathon was fought between a Persian army and a mostly Athenian Greek army in 490 BCE during the first Greco-Persian War. 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. The Athenian force numbered around 10,000, including 1,000 Plataeans, and was led by the Athenian General Miltiades. In 486 BCE, Xerxes I (r. 486-465 BCE) became king upon the death of Darius and massive preparations for invasion were made. Why was the battle of Marathon fought? 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. He then joined the rest of Athenian army to march from Athens to Marathon to attempt to hold off the large Persian forces massing just off shore. The stress of dealing with a revolt in Egypt further exacerbated his poor health, and by October, he was dead. He had just run the full 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens. She has taught college History and Government courses. Create your account. With the Persians closing in on the Greek capitol, Athenian general Miltiades assumed command of the hastily assembled army. Xerxes returned home to his palace at Sousa and left the gifted general Mardonius in charge of the invasion. Many insisted that surrendering and begging for terms would save them, but Datis the Persian general and his forces sent a clear message after burning and enslaving Athens neighboring city. 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. The victory of the Marathon men captured. On top of that, defeat at the battle of Marathon meant the utter destruction of Athens. They also ensured that their ideas would be able to spread. 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. 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. WebFor all of its significance, the Battle of Marathon admittedly did little more than delay the encroaching invaders. Darius sent an army of around 25,000 or 30,000 soldiers to punish the Athenians and take control of Greece. - 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. Herodotus: History & Persian Wars | Who was Herodotus? His strategy was victorious over the Persians strength, and the victory of the Marathon men captured the collective imagination of the Greeks. At this point, the Greek center struggled against the Persian center. These ideas were spread much further by the conquests of Alexander the Great, who eventually destroyed the Persian Empire in 336 BCE. Whatever the case, the Persian horses played no significant role in the coming battle. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Taking heaving losses, the Persian ranks broke and they fled back to their ships. Hoplites fighting in a phalanx became the most common method of warfare for hundreds of years. 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. Those who could afford to do so would wear full bronze armor. The Romans also adopted many Greek ideas and further spread them as they conquered their own vast territories. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. With no choice but to act, the Greeks took the initiative. The Athenians had called upon every available soldier in order to have any chance against the Persians, and yet they were still outnumbered by at least two to one. https://www.thoughtco.com/persian-wars-battle-of-marathon-p2-2360876 (accessed May 1, 2023). Some Rights Reserved (2009-2023) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. The story of these day runners is the origin of the marathon race. This experience provided him with something invaluable: a firm knowledge of Persian battle tactics. Darius I, king of Persia whod likely set his sights on Greece as far back as 513 B.C. The hoplite's main weapon was a spear, approximately two and a half meters long. The remaining hoplites, now trapped and without their inspirational king, were subjected to a barrage of Persian arrows until no man was left standing. 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. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 The Persian defeat at Marathon halted the Persian Empire's western expansion, and ensured continued Greek independence. The distance between the Greeks and the Persians was around one mile, mostly open plains. At close quarters, the longer spears, heavier swords, better armour, and rigid discipline of the phalanx formation meant that the Greek hoplites would have all of the advantages, and in the narrow confines of the terrain, the Persians would struggle to make their vastly superior numbers tell. An error occurred trying to load this video. Mason-Dixon Line 3 What was the most important impact of the Battle of Marathon? Led by Mardonius, this force succeeded in subjugating Thrace and Macedonia in 492 BC. The Greeks pursued them all the way to their ships, slaughtering the fleeing Persians along the way. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". In those days Greece was not a unified country, but a collection of independent city-states. Herodotus, born a few years after the battle, based his judgment on eyewitness accounts. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. 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 Athenian Treasury at Delphi was built out of the spoils of the battle. 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. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Greece was about to face its greatest ever threat, and even the oracle at Delphi ominously advised the Athenians to 'fly to the world's end'. Aside from ushering in an era of hoplite warfare, it also ensured that Greek ideas would be able to flourish and spread. Accessed May 1, 2023. This is, in very large part, due to the skill of arms of the Greeks who fought and won their victory at Marathon. He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the WHE Publishing Director. At Marathon, the Greeks also ran into battle in order to lessen their exposure to Persian arrows. It was here, then, in a 15-metre wide gap with a sheer cliff protecting their left flank and the sea on their right, that the Greeks chose to make a stand against the invading army. As a result, the Spartan army was unwilling to march north until the next full moon which was over a week away. Seeing them begin to retreat, the Greek wings displayed excellent discipline in not following the fleeing enemy, and instead turned back in to attack what remained of the Persian center to relieve the pressure on their own thin center forces. Mound (soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the Battle of Marathon. The Battle of Marathon occurred in 490 BCE, when the Persian Empire was at its height. Why was the battle of Marathon fought? The battle of Marathon: what happened? Surprised by the Greeks' audacity, the Persians rushed to form their lines and inflict damage on the enemy with their archers and slingers (Map). How did the Battle of Marathon affect Athens? 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. If your web page requires an HTML link, please insert this code: . 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. Dept. 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 Battle of Marathon is one of the many battles that Persians and Greeks fought against one another; it was also an important battle in deciding the future fate of Greece as a country of free men. 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. 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. Unification of Northern China by Shi Huangdi | Who was Qin Shi Huang? on the seaside Grecian plain of Marathon. Where was the Athenians buried after the Battle of Marathon? Wealth and resources seem an unlikely motive; other more plausible suggestions include the need to increase the prestige of the king at home or to quell once and for all a collection of potentially troublesome rebel states on the western border of the empire. With the re-institution of a modern Olympics in 1896, the organizers of the games hoped for an event that would capture the publics attention and also reflect upon the gilded age of ancient Greece. He ran a distance of over 225 kilometers (140 miles), arriving in Sparta the day after he left. Discover the significance of the Battle of Marathon through maps and historical accounts. 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. Sending them up the coast to land them closer to the undefended city of Athens. And that perfect distance was all the allure needed for Datis to settle on Marathon as a landing point for his army. It is possible that the Persian cavalry was not present at this time, thus prompting the Greeks to attack at that moment. This is Sparta: Fierce warriors of the ancient world - Craig Zimmer. All while the Greek forces had lost only 200 men. It was an attempt by a vengeful Persian king Darius the Great to expand his empire across the Aegean Sea. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Encamping on the edge of the Plain of Marathon, they faced a Persian force numbering between 20-60,000. But the Greeks remained outnumbered and outmatched, the enemy they faced, according to ancient historians, standing at over 100,000 men strong. The Battle of Marathon still has influence on the world today, remembered in the worlds most popular international sporting event the Olympics. Just why Greece was coveted by Persia is unclear. WebYoure Temporarily Blocked. Herodotus of Halicarnassus. In winning the battle, as well as defeating the next Persian invasion ten years later, the Greeks secured their independence. Greco-Persian WarsKelly Macquire (CC BY-NC-SA). 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. But Athens lay within a days hard march or two days leisurely one, should the Greeks not approach for battle. Persian Emperors List & Timeline | Cyrus, Cambyses II & Darius, SAT Subject Test World History: Practice and Study Guide, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Test Prep & Practice, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Help and Review, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Tutoring Solution, UExcel World Conflicts Since 1900: Study Guide & Test Prep, Prentice Hall World History Connections to Today Volume 1: Online Textbook Help, McDougal Littell Modern World History - Patterns of Interaction: Online Textbook Help, Holt World History - Human Legacy: Online Textbook Help, Harcourt Social Studies - World History: Online Textbook Help, Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. Finally, the Greek commander, Miltiades, elected to attack after receiving favorable omens. Fink, Dennis L., The Battle of Marathon in Scholarship, McFarland & Company, Inc., 2014. Commercial Photography: How To Get The Right Shots And Be Successful, Nikon Coolpix P510 Review: Helps You Take Cool Snaps, 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Marshmallow, Technological Advancements: How Technology Has Changed Our Lives (In A Bad Way), 15 Tips, Tricks and Shortcuts for your Android Lollipop, Awe-Inspiring Android Apps Fabulous Five, IM Graphics Plugin Review: You Dont Need A Graphic Designer. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. This assistance came to nothing, and the revolt was put down in 493 BCE. Peloponnesian War & Thucydides | What was the Peloponnesian War? Peloponnesian War Causes & Results | What Caused the Peloponnesian War? Figure 2: A possible position of the Greek and Persian armies in an initial stand-off at Marathon. From behind the shields, the hoplites could still strike at their enemies with their long spears. Next in King Darius' sights were Athens and the rest of Greece. The Greek victory over the Persians also proved the superiority of the phalanx over the tactics used by eastern powers. What was the most important impact of the Battle of Marathon? Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. License. According to legend, an Athenian messenger was sent from Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 25 miles (40 km), and there he announced the Persian defeat before dying of exhaustion. We care about our planet! Cite This Work This was later conflated with the victorious Athenian army marching back to Athens at a quickened pace. In the map seen in figure 1, some of the most important city-states can be found, including Athens.
Santa Rita Jail Jumpsuit Colors,
Baby Shower Venues Harrisburg, Pa,
Executive Order 202 Extended,
What Does Cs Lewis Say About Justice?,
Articles W