A Historical Look At The Battle Of Marathon

A Historical Look At The Battle Of Marathon

by Janet Morgan

Since the dawn of man, conflict has been common in the world over. While the past centuries have occasioned violent conflicts, there is no conflict that matches the legendary status of the <a href="http://ancientgreecepersia.com/greek-persian-wars.html">battle of Marathon</a>. The conflict, which took place in the year 490 BC, offered a benchmark for modern conflicts and Greek civilization.

It all started with the ambition of a Persian ruler named King Darius I. His intention was to annex Greece and bring it under the control of Persia. Little did he know that the Greeks had a disciplined army that often relied on an impenetrable formation. The invading force was under the command of Datis and Artaphernes, all battling against the citizens of Athens and their allies.

The invasion served as a response to the Ionian revolt by King Darius I. Earlier on, the citizens of Ionia, with the help of Eretria and Athens, had revolted against the Persians who ruled over them. Initially succeeding in capturing the town of Sardis, the allied forces had to make a hasty retreat due to heavy losses. In the end, the Persian force succeeded in crushing the revolt in its entirety. Furious at the revolt, King Darius I made it his personal business to ensure Athens and Eretria were razed to bits.

During the Marathon conflict, the two largest cities in Greece were Sparta and Athens. In 490 BC, following up on his promise, King Darius I commanded his two trusted naval commanders, Datis and Artaphernes, to assemble a force and cross the Aegean Sea to Greece. The force was first tasked with besieging Cyclades upon landing.

The force would then use the area as a forward operating base to launch attacks against Athens and Eretria. After reaching Euboea during the summer, the force proceeded to besiege Eretria and was successful in capturing it. Thereafter, the army set sail for Attica, where they landed on the bay just close to Marathon.

Noting the dangerous closeness of the enemy, the Athenians joined forces with a contingent from Plataea. Thereafter, they marched onward to Marathon. Upon reaching the city, they proceeded to block the two exit routes around it.

Before their march, they had dispatched a message to the Spartans asking for support. However, their request was denied as the Spartans were concurrently celebrating a religious festival. According to the renowned historian Herodotus, the person dispatching the message from Athens ran more than 140 miles to Sparta, arriving the day after. His feat achieved legendary status, with the inspiration for the modern race credited to him.

The Athenians made a smart move by choosing a mountainous and marshy area for the main conflict. This inherently meant the invading Persian army could not link up with its Calvary. By reinforcing its flanks, the Athenian army was able to draw the enemy to its center.

The encirclement eventually made it easy for the Persians to be crushed. Sensing imminent defeat, the remaining faction made away for their ships. The biggest lesson for the modern world is that with tactful thinking, the Greeks emerged victorious even without the assistance of the feared Spartans.



The <a href="http://ancientgreecepersia.com/greek-persian-wars.html">Battle of Marathon</a> was an epic war that took place in ancient Persia. To read more, visit this informative website at http://ancientgreecepersia.com/greek-persian-wars.html.

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New Unique Article!

Title: A Historical Look At The Battle Of Marathon
Author: Janet Morgan
Email: nathanwebster335@live.com
Keywords: Battle of Marathon
Word Count: 524
Category: Internet Business
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