BATTLE OF MARATHON THE ATTACK ON ATHENS 490

BATTLE OF MARATHON THE ATTACK ON ATHENS: 490 BC ANTHONY ENRIQUEZ

INTRODUCTION Greek city states such as Athens and Sparta had often fought among themselves, though the Greek’s great, potential and dangerous foreign enemy was Persia. During the 5 th century BC, Greek city states and the Persian Empire clashed in a series of wars. These wars between Greece and Persia were known as the Greco-Persian Wars and lasted until 448 BC. Historically, the Greek armies were quite small in comparison to the Persian army. Though considered underdogs throughout the course of the war, the Greeks were relentless and never gave in to the Persians. Of importance of all battles fought between the Greeks and Persian, the Battle at Marathon was deemed one of the significant battles fought in antiquity.

DARIUS I AND ATHENS Persia had several reasons for their attack on Athens at Marathon: Ø Eretria was to be punished. Ø Capture of Athens foothold on central Greece. Ø Persian influence extended over the whole of Greece

THE BATTLE OF MARATHON, 490 BC n Darius I - land his army at Marathon (march on to n n n Athens). Athens - dire need of help; Sparta forces to join in the battle. Sparta sent 600 hoplites to join Athens’s 9000 hoplites. Greek army - led by War Archon Callimachus and Miltiades. Persian army - 20 000 infantry, 5000 cavalry, 200 triremes and 40 000 sailors. Greeks lined up and advanced across the plain of Marathon – towards Persian army.

THE BATTLE OF MARATHON, 490 BC n Callimachus - right flank; Plateans – left flank. n Tactic – (Greek) More hoplites on the flanks than in the n n centre. Flanks - Persians overpowered by Greeks; the centre, Persians had broken through Greek defence. Strong tactics and leadership led to the collapse of the Persian offence and therefore a defeat for the Persian Empire. March on to Athens (Greeks) – to prevent another invasion. Causalities - 6400 dead (Persians) to only 192 men (Greeks).

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WHY THE ATHENIANS AND PLATAEANS WON AT MARATHON? No #1: Leadership and Strategy Ø Miltiades had first-hand knowledge and experience of Persian methods Ø Choice – Marathon proving suitable for the Athenians (strategic) Ø Time – right time to engage the Persians Ø Absence of Persian cavalry Ø Persians – confined to sea and the hills (chance of escape to N) - Escape

WHY THE ATHENIANS AND PLATAEANS WON AT MARATHON? No #2: Skill, discipline and arms of the Athenian and Plataean hoplites Ø Greek hoplites – more disciplined Ø Bronze-visored helmets, solid bronze breastplates, shields and javelins

WHY THE ATHENIANS AND PLATAEANS WON AT MARATHON? No #3: Greeks’ defence of their freedom Ø Desire for freedom

WHY THE ATHENIANS AND PLATAEANS WON AT MARATHON? No #4: Fear of Sparta’s arrival Ø Spartans – ‘real’ influence on the campaign

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MARATHON For the Persians: Ø ‘Reality check’ - Persia’s plans for Western Expansion. Ø Left Persia weakened for the moment. Ø Darius I - Determined Ø Realization - the mistake in their strategy. In any future invasion they would return to the plan of Mardonius in 942; that is, a combined military and naval advance around the northern Aegean. Ø Preparation - more careful preparations

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MARATHON For the Greeks; Ø ‘Moral victory’ for Athens. Ø Belief – Persians were unbeatable (UNTRUE). Ø Spartans learnt of the conditions under which the Persian infantry could be defeated. Ø Greeks underestimate danger - However, in their optimism the Greeks underestimated the future danger to them. Plutarch says, believed that Marathon ‘was only the prelude to a far greater struggle’. Ø Victory for democracy.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MARATHON Ø Athens gained in prestige. Ø Marathon - the image of the ‘men of Marathon’ took on heroic proportions. Ø Victory was almost unbelievable. Ø The overwhelming might of the Persian Empire could be defeated. Ø The victory for the rest of Greece.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MARATHON n Honour and glory, praise and prestige for this defeat of the barbarian - becoming the first city in Greece. n The most obvious example of this is the Marathon race. n The poet Pindar lauded Athens as ‘Bulwark of Hellas … city of doglike men. ’ Marathon loomed large in the Athenian psyche; the men of Marathon were regarded as heroes. n Athenians and the rest of Greece honoured the Marathon fighters.

Mound of Marathon Bronze helmet

THE ‘PROCESS’ Essay: Ø Structure: Introduction, Body, Conclusion Ø Day by day adding information to the essay Ø Essay count: Approx. 2000 -2500

DIFFICULTIES Difficulties: Ø Time Management Ø No ‘Internet’ Ø Essaying – structure; making it right; ‘great’ Ø Sources – books and Internet Ø Wasting time during class

IMPROVEMENTS Ø Time Management Ø Affiliation of Keywords – outline, evaluate Ø Proper use of sources Ø Essay – ‘good’ standards Ø Completion – not doing it before the day its due Ø Speech

BIBLIOGRAPHY n http: //boards. historychannel. com/thread. jspa? thread. I n n n D=100009096&message. ID=300418309 http: //raf. heavengames. com/history/civilization/greek/ page 4 http: //www. bbc. co. uk/dna/h 2 g 2/A 10083395 http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Battle_of_Marathon#Conc lusion http: //www. eyewitnesstohistory. com/marathon. htm http: //www. thenagain. info/Classes/Sources/Herodotu s-Marathon. html http: //www. essortment. com/all/thebattleofma_rwnl. ht m

BIBLIOGRAPHY n http: //joseph_berrigan. tripod. com/ancientbabylon/id 2 n n n 7. html http: //www. historynet. com/battle-of-marathon-greeksversus-the-persians. htm/2#high_4 http: //www. libertarian. co. uk/lapubs/histn 021. pdf http: //www. heritagehistory. com/www/heritage. php? Dir=eras&File. Name= greece_4. php http: //unitedcats. wordpress. com/2007/07/21/the-battle -of-marathon/ http: //www. caissoas. com/CAIS/History/hakhamaneshian/marathon. h tm

BIBLIOGRAPHY n Ancient Greece: Using Evidence, Pamela Bradley n Your Ancient Greece, John D. Clare n The Greeks, Roy Burrell