battle marathon greek took place persian invasion greece fought citizens athens aided persian force commanded battle culmination attempt persia king greece greek army decisively defeated numerous marking turning point persian wars persian invasion response greek involvement athens sent force support cities attempt overthrow persian rule succeeded capturing burning forced retreat heavy losses response raid swore burn athens according asked bow placed arrow string discharged upwards heaven shot air said grant vengeance charged servants day dinner times master remember time battle athens largest city states revolt finally crushed persian victory battle began plans greece sent naval task force attacks athens reaching mid summer successful campaign proceeded capture persian force sailed landing bay near town marathon joined small force marched marathon succeeded blocking exits plain marathon sent message asking support time involved religious festival gave reason refusing aid greeks hope face superior persian cavalry location chosen surrounded marshes mountains cavalry unable join main persian army greek general ordered general attack reinforced flanks best fighters centre inward flanks routing persian army broke panic ships large numbers slaughtered defeat marathon marked end persian invasion greece persian force retreated asia began raising huge new army meant completely greece egyptian subjects revolted indefinitely greek expedition died son restarted preparations second invasion greece finally began watershed persian wars showing greeks beaten eventual greek triumph wars seen begin marathon battle showed greeks able win battles heavily relied previously win largely marathon raised greek esteem following years saw rise civilization influential western society seen pivotal moment european history battle famous inspiration marathon race thought historically inaccurate legend greek messenger running athens news victory inspiration athletic event introduced athens olympics originally run marathon athens background persian invasion greece immediate roots earliest phase persian wars result longer term interaction greeks relatively young highly prone revolts subject peoples persian king spent considerable time revolts rule begun expand empire europe forcing vassal persia attempts expansion politically world ancient greece inevitable directly threatened integrity persian empire states mainland greece remained potential menace future stability resolved greece punish involved begun unsuccessful expedition joint venture persian aftermath decided remove power declared democracy cities followed suit persian appointed declaring appealed states mainland greece support athens offered send troops involvement athens revolt arose complex set circumstances beginning establishment democracy late 6th century aid king people expelled ruler athens father family ruled previous years fully intended continue rule fled court persian promised control athens help restore meantime helped install pro athens opposition leader traditionally powerful family considered natural heirs rule athens found politically defeated coalition led decided change rules game appealing demos people effect making new faction political arena tactic succeeded returned request prominent families exiled athens attempted create narrow government people spontaneous unprecedented expelled restored athens speed began reform state aim securing position result actually democracy real civic state enabled development fully democratic government emerge generation demos realized power new found freedom self governance meant exceptionally hostile return form outside persia pleased events marched athens army attempts restore athens ended fearing worst point sent embassy request aid persian empire requested earth water traditional token submission ambassadors severely returned athens later point instigated plot restore rule athens failed fled tried persuade athens dispatched ambassadors dissuade taking action merely instructed declined instead resolved open war persia having enemy persia athens position support cities began revolt fact inspired example set doubt persuaded support revolt especially cities originally colonies sent task force asia minor aid revolt whilst greek army surprised marching burning lower city greeks achieved repelled pursued coast persian horsemen losing men process despite fact actions ultimately fruitless particular earned lasting vowed punish cities persian naval victory battle ended hold outs persian fleet revolt opportunity extend empire border islands eastern persian allowed begin planning moves threat empire greece punish athens finally crushed dispatched expedition greece command son law conquered compelled alexander client kingdom persia fleet brought premature end campaign following successes previous campaign decided send maritime expedition led son fled median admiral injured prior campaign fallen favor expedition intended bring persian empire punish resisted persian assault head greece force athens submit destroyed island including successfully attacking persian task force arrived mid summer proceeded capture burn headed south coast route complete final objective campaign punish athens prelude sailed coast landed bay marathon roughly miles athens advice exiled accompanied expedition guidance general greatest experience fighting army marched quickly block exits plain marathon prevent moving inland time athens greatest runner accounts sent request army march aid athens arrived festival period peace informed army march war moon rose athens expect reinforcement days hold marathon time reinforced muster small city gesture steady nerves won gratitude approximately days armies confronted plain marathon stalemate flanks camp protected grove trees stakes depending exact reading day brought arrival closer delay worked favor generals marathon elected tribes divided addition overall charge war elected citizen body suggests command rotated taking turn day command army suggests day command instead deferred account keen attack despite knowing coming aid strangely chooses wait actual day command attack passage undoubtedly problematic little gain attacking arrived real evidence rotating delay arrival marathon battle evidently believed eager attack mistake whilst seeking explain delay discussed reason delay probably simply willing risk battle initially raises question battle occurred explicitly tells greeks attacked sources confirm clear arrival main theories explain theory persian cavalry left marathon unspecified reason greeks moved advantage attacking theory based absence mention cavalry account battle entry dictionary entry cavalry explained cavalry left surrendered ready retreat climbed trees gave signal cavalry left realized attacked won comes mentioned quote breaks ranks battle variations theory prevalent cavalry embarked ships sent sea attack athens rear whilst rest pinned army marathon theory suggestion marathon persian army embarked tried sail attack athens directly according theory attempt occurred battle triggered battle second theory simply battle occurred finally moved attack theory moving strategic offensive reconciled traditional account attacking assuming seeing advancing took tactical offensive attacked obviously firmly established theory correct theories imply kind persian activity occurred fifth day ultimately triggered battle possible theories correct sent cavalry ship attack athens simultaneously sent infantry attack marathon triggering greek counterattack date battle mentions events date calendar greek city state variant astronomical allows derive absolute date julian calendar historians chronological frame august concluded battle took place september julian calendar conventionally accepted date depends exactly held festival possible calendar month ahead athens case battle took place august opposing forces figure size army figure suggests numbers highly comparable number troops says sent years later noticed monument battle names slaves freed exchange military services modern historians generally accept numbers reasonable according fleet sent consisted estimate size persian army saying large infantry packed ancient sources poet near contemporary says campaign force numbered later writer estimates infantry cavalry fought battle rest loaded fleet rounding independently dictionary modern historians proposed wide ranging numbers infantry consensus estimates cavalry range lower end range statement large infantry packed fighting force means large intimidating eyes greeks especially scenario half persian force cape athens surprise leaving field force equal numerically army probably army remained split persian army raising size initial landing army combatants force furthermore adjustments hypothesis likely ships represent entire persian naval force combat troop transporting fleets ship carried total crew considering additional marines mentions minimum personnel unlikely gathered fleet ferry combatants especially making effort pack marines vessel order supplies months ferry strong cavalry addition supply ships horse transports strong fleet composition fleet marathon following examples considered persian fleet invaded greece years later transports fleet expedition years later transports fleet campaigned greeks years later transports siege siege transports siege syracuse aforementioned cases transport fleet equal size larger combat fleet following likely hypothesis transport fleet strong combat fleet representing total transports ships noted ships sailors armed light shield short sword helmet leather missile weapons frequent serving light infantry ships captured rare occasions battle main battlefield ancient historians usually referring combat fleet naval force don mention troop transports separately case possible breakdown persian fleet marathon following combat ships open represented main fighting vessel naval battles called open upper deck completely removed order gain speed carrying usually marines greek fleets persian fleet rare cases force reduced marines city naval power additionally increase speed marathon packed additional marines purposes campaign crew sailors officers marines ships crew marines troop transports closed specially modified lower rows removed upper deck added order house land troops additional weight slow heavy totally useless naval combat need escort crew sailors officers land troops ships crew land troops cavalry transports modified crew sailors officers horses riders complete gear ships crew cavalry supply ships normal merchant ships carrying supplies grain wars strong army needs tons supplies daily ships crew sailors tons supplies grain ships sailors tons supplies months total sailors soldiers marines cavalry ships account near contemporary men closest truth greeks fought half force marathon september foot soldiers marines note persian fleet campaigned long greek summer months didn need days supplies scores provision ways trade conquest fall weeks earlier late summer collecting crops provided plenty supplies island stands time main grain supplier athens furthermore fear low supplies end campaigning season drove attempt surprise attack athens cape half army strategic tactical considerations strategic point view marathon order face battle summon available probably outnumbered furthermore raising large army athens defenders secondary attack rear cut army city direct attack city defended defeat marathon mean complete defeat athens army existed strategy persian army pinned marathon blocking exits plain preventing balanced advantages initially need seek battle managed plain marathon furthermore time worked favour day brought arrival closer having lose attacking gain waiting remained defensive run battle vulnerable attacks cavalry substantial numbers cavalry offensive maneuver risk reinforced defensive strategy persian strategy hand probably principally determined tactical considerations persian infantry evidently lightly armoured match head confrontation demonstrated later battles taken strong defensive position marathon persian probably reluctance attack head event eventually triggered battle obviously altered strategic tactical balance sufficiently induce attack theory correct absence cavalry removed main tactical disadvantage threat attack conversely second theory correct merely reacting attacking persian force obviously contained high proportion missile troops static defensive position little sense strength melee sooner brought better point view second theory correct raises question having days attacked strategic reasons aware suspected expecting reinforcements alternatively felt need force kind victory hardly remain marathon indefinitely battle distance armies point battle narrowed distance meters ordered tribes forming center greek formation tribe led tribe led arranged depth ranks rest tribes flanks ranks modern commentators suggested deliberate ploy encourage double persian centre suggests level training greeks thought possess little evidence tactical thinking greek battles possible arrangement moment line long persian line line ready according source simple signal advance given implies ran distance persian lines feat weight generally thought physically impossible likely marched reached limit effectiveness beaten zone roughly meters broke run enemy possibility ran meter mark broken ranks reformed march battle suggests time greek army ran battle way probably time greek army faced enemy composed primarily missile troops evidently surprise minds charged madness fatal seeing pressing forwards run having cavalry based previous experience greeks tells marathon endure looking median dress men wearing hearing caused panic passing hail arrows launched persian army protected armour greek line finally collided enemy army holland provides evocative description enemy directly path realised horror far providing easy imagined going halted impact devastating style fighting combat wooden shields smashing wooden shields iron spear tips bronze terrible seconds collision crash metal flesh bone rolling tide men wearing protection armed bows ash spears instead stab stab enemy avoided fearful easily crushed death beneath sheer weight advancing men bronze wings quickly routed inferior persian flanks turning surround persian centre successful thin greek centre battle ended persian centre broke panic ships pursued greeks unaware local terrain ran swamps unknown numbers drowned pursued ships managed capture seven ships majority able launch successfully recounts story brother playwright fighters charged sea grabbed persian started pulling shore member crew saw cut hand died records persian bodies counted battlefield unknown perished swamps lost men dead war general conclusions explanations greek success scholars believe greeks better equipment superior tactics according greeks better equipped use bronze armour time leather formation proved successful long tradition hand hand combat persian soldiers accustomed different kind conflict marathon centre order army equal length persian army result tactical planning persian centre tried return realizing wings broken caught flanks victorious greek wings believes ultimate reason greek success courage greeks displayed marathon won ordinary amateur soldiers found courage break arrows begun fall instead grinding halt surprisingly enemy wings fled easy way follow stop come aid hard pressured centre aftermath immediate aftermath battle says persian fleet sailed cape attack athens directly discussed modern historians place attempt battle way evidently realised city threat marched quickly possible athens tribes centre line stayed guard battlefield command arrived time prevent securing landing seeing opportunity lost turned returned asia connected episode recounts planned conjunction prominent aristocratic family shield signal given battle interpretations offered impossible tell true exactly signal meant day army arrived marathon having covered kilometers days toured battlefield marathon agreed won great victory dead marathon buried battlefield tomb composed written fighting forefront greeks marathon laid low army began raising huge new army meant completely greece egyptian subjects revolted indefinitely greek expedition died whilst preparing march egypt throne persia passed son crushed egyptian revolt quickly restarted preparations invasion greece epic second persian invasion greece finally began met initial success battles defeat battle turning point campaign year expedition ended decisive greek victory battle significance defeat marathon barely touched vast resources persian empire greeks enormously significant victory time greeks beaten proving invincible resistance possible battle defining moment young democracy showing achieved unity self belief battle effectively marks start golden age athens applicable greece victory endowed greeks faith destiny endure centuries western culture born famous opinion battle marathon event british history important battle hastings playwright considered participation marathon greatest achievement life plays following tomb dust hide son pride tried marathon tell long haired knew militarily major lesson greeks potential style developed warfare greeks city state fought way advantages obvious marathon time faced lightly armed troops revealed effective battle formation vulnerable cavalry cause caution greek forces battle right circumstances shown potentially devastating weapon legacy legends associated battle famous legend associated marathon runner bringing news athens battle described run bring aid legends associated mentions visited god pan way return journey pan asked honor promised god apparently felt promise kept appeared battle crucial moment brand fear fear bore panic battle sacred established pan north slope sacrifice annually offered similarly victory festival sacrifice held near athens honor city battle offer sacrifice number goats equal slain conflict number great decided offer goats yearly number filled notes time years battle goats offered yearly mentions saw phantom mythical hero athens leading army battle gear charge depicted mural fighting gods heroes tells present battle man appearance dress having slaughtered foreigners seen engagement god merely ordered honor tail hero tale conflict dog marathon relates brought dog dog followed master battle attacked master informs dog depicted mural marathon run according runner named sent run athens ask assistance battle ran distance kilometers miles arriving day left following battle army marched kilometers miles athens high pace considering quantity armour fatigue battle order head persian force sailing arrived late afternoon time persian ships turn away athens completing victory later popular imagination events confused leading legendary inaccurate version events myth running marathon athens battle announce greek victory word attic won promptly died exhaustion accounts incorrectly attribute story actually story appears glory athens 1st century quotes lost work giving runner 2nd century gives story names runner noted medieval runner athens battle given modern editions preferred idea modern olympics reality end 19th century organizers looking great event recalling ancient glory greece idea organizing marathon race came wanted event feature modern olympic games athens idea heavily supported founder modern olympics greeks echo legendary version events competitors running marathon athens popular event quickly caught fixture olympic games major cities staging annual events distance eventually fixed miles yards years variable miles approximate distance marathon athens ancient sources modern studies historiography scholarship research theories controversies online review
Battle of Marathon