battle battle final land battle second persian invasion greece took place near city fought alliance greek city states including athens previous year persian invasion force led persian king person scored victories battles conquered ensuing navy won unlikely decisive victory preventing conquest retreated army leaving general finish greeks following year summer greeks assembled huge ancient standards army marched retreated built fortified camp near greeks refused drawn prime cavalry terrain persian camp resulting stalemate lasted days attempting retreat supply lines disrupted greek battle line fragmented thinking greeks retreat ordered forces pursue greeks particularly halted gave battle routing lightly armed persian infantry killing large portion persian army trapped camp slaughtered destruction army remnants persian navy allegedly day battle decisively ended invasion greek allies offensive marking new phase persian wars sense victory attributed significance time example victory battle marathon defeat background greek city states athens supported unsuccessful revolt relatively young prone revolts subject peoples spent considerable time revolts rule revolt threatened integrity empire vowed punish involved especially empire saw opportunity expand empire world preliminary expedition secure land approaches greece ended conquest forced fully subordinate client kingdom persia persian vassal early late 6th century amphibious task force sent intermediate base successfully moving attack athens ensuing won remarkable victory resulting withdrawal persian army asia began raising huge new army meant completely greece died invasion begin throne persia passed son quickly restarted preparations invasion greece including building bridges sent ambassadors greece asking earth water gesture submission making deliberate omission athens open war persia support began leading states congress city states met late autumn confederate alliance formed referred allies remarkable greek world especially city states attendance technically war allies initially adopted strategy blocking land sea approaches southern greece august hearing approach small allied army led king blocked dominated navy sailed famously massively outnumbered greek army held persian army days little known mountain path greek army retreated rearguard formed contingents surrounded annihilated simultaneous consisting series naval encounters point stalemate news reached retreated holding straits point following persian army proceeded burn sack cities surrendered taking possession evacuated city athens allied army prepared defend wished final crushing defeat allies finish conquest greece campaigning season conversely allies sought decisive victory persian navy guarantee security ensuing naval ended decisive victory allies marking turning point conflict following defeat navy retreated asia bulk army according feared greeks sail destroy bridges trapping army europe left troops complete conquest greece following year evacuated destroyed city winter tension allies particular protected fleet key security felt hard demanded allied army march north following year allies failed commit fleet refused join allied navy spring navy command king remnants persian fleet sides unwilling risk battle similarly remained knowing attack pointless allies refused send army outside moved break stalemate trying win fleet alexander offering peace self government territorial expansion sure delegation hand hear offer rejected degree shadow strength hardly need bring attention aware love liberty surrender refusal marched south athens evacuated left enemy repeated offer peace refugees athens sent demanding assistance threatening accept persian terms given according time celebrating festival delayed making decision persuaded guest pointed danger greece surrendered prelude learned force completed destruction athens tearing left standing retreated hoping lure greek army territory suitable persian cavalry created fortified north bank river covering ground lands sent led join allied army army marched passes arriving near persian position guidance commanding general greeks took position opposite persian lines remained high ground knowing little hope successfully attacking greek positions sought allies lure plain reports conspiracy discovered prominent planning allied cause account universally accepted indicate attempts intrigue greek ranks initiated hit run cavalry attacks greek lines possibly trying lure greeks plain pursuit having initial success strategy persian cavalry commander killed death cavalry retreated morale boosted small victory greeks moved forward remaining higher ground new position nearer suited better ridge right line left contingents slightly lower ground response brought men battle greeks attack claims sides received bad rituals armies stayed camped locations days new greek troops arrived sought break stalemate sending cavalry attack passes raid resulted capture convoy provisions intended greeks days passed time supply lines greeks continued launched cavalry raid greek lines succeeded blocking source water greek army use threat posed persian coupled lack food restriction water supply greek position decided retreat position guard passes access fresh water prevent persian cavalry attacking retreat performed night retreat went allied contingents centre missed appointed position ended scattered guarding rear retreat begun retreat single division left ridge guard rear retreated instructed begin retreat possible join retreated directly allied battle line remained fragmented persian camp began stir opposing forces greeks according sent men citizen soldiers seven probably largest force assembled greek army reinforced contingents allied city states shown table claims number greek troops approached thousand according total lightly armed troops troops rest greece roughly number suggested represent light supporting non presence battle later notes tells equipped giving total strength men number accepted reasonable possible fielded battle marathon historians accepted number light troops population census greece time certainly numbers theoretically possible athens instance allegedly fielded fleet manned approximately rowers fighters light troops easily sent number light troops rejected exaggerated especially view ratio seven instance accepts greek cities accompanied lightly armoured rejects number seven speculates accompanied armed remaining employed logistical effort transporting food army holland lightly armed troops number essentially irrelevant outcome battle certain proportion allied manpower needed man fleet amounted approximately men fought near simultaneously pool manpower contributed reduces likelihood greeks assembled greek forces agreed allied congress overall command royalty person regent young son cousin tells contingent command probable contingents leaders tells places greeks held council prelude battle implying decisions authority issue direct orders contingents style leadership contributed way events battle instance period immediately battle unable order join forces greeks fought battle completely separated according numbered accompanied troops states supported persian cause including admits counted wrote history persia based persian archives claimed persian greek soldiers account generally instance placing battle says cities confusing claims number persian troops thousand figure doubted numbers historians modern consensus estimates total number troops persian invasion according consensus self evidently impossible approach estimating size persian army estimate men accommodated persian camp approach gives figures men instance comparison later roman military camps number troops including cavalry derives number sized camp estimates total persian force generally range instance based distance marched day athens attacked concluded upper limit size persian army including supply personnel non combatants strategic tactical considerations ways run resembled battle marathon prolonged stalemate attacking reasons stalemate primarily tactical similar situation marathon greek want risk persian cavalry lightly armed persian infantry hope assault defended positions according sides wished decisive battle tip war favor believed actions campaign consistent aggressive policy interprets persian operations prelude attempts force allies battle attempts force allies retreat case felt little gain battle simply wait greek alliance fall apart nearly winter little doubt account prepared accept battle terms regardless exact motives initial strategic situation allowed sides food supplies ample armies conditions tactical considerations strategic need action raids disrupted allied supply chain forced allies strategy moving attack instead looked retreat secure lines communication despite defensive greeks fact chaos resulting retreat finally ended stalemate perceived retreat effect thinking battle sought pursue greeks expect greeks fight tactical problems longer issue tried advantage altered strategic situation thought produced conversely greeks inadvertently lured attacking higher ground despite outnumbered tactical advantage battle discovered greeks abandoned positions appeared retreat decided set immediate pursuit elite persian infantry rest persian army began forward reached temple rearguard began withdraw ridge pressure persian cavalry join sent messenger asking join engaged unable assist assaulted persian cavalry persian infantry way forward planted shields began shooting arrows greeks cavalry withdrew according refused advance good goat sacrifices performed point greek soldiers began fall barrage arrows started run persian lines offering sacrifice prayer heavens temple finally received favourable gave command advance charged persian lines numerically superior persian infantry heavy persian standards formation lighter greek persian defensive weapon large shield short spears contrast armored bronze bronze shield long spear marathon severe fight fierce long greeks continued push persian lines tried break greeks spears grabbing hold greeks responded switching swords present scene riding white horse surrounded bodyguard men remained stood ground closed soldier named saw horse picked large rock ground threw hard hit head killing dead began flee bodyguard remained annihilated claims reason discomfort lack armour quickly rout general fleeing disorder camp earlier commanded disagreed attacking greeks fully engaged forces command rout commenced led men according away battlefield road hoping escape eventually opposite battlefield tough battle greeks fighting deliberately fought badly according retreated battle different direction allowing escape losses allied greeks reinforced contingents taken main battle stormed persian camp initially defended wall vigorously eventually breached packed tightly camp slaughtered greeks retreated camp scarcely left alive according survived battle number died course depends place dead claims greeks lost men furthermore claims died ones fought access sources gives greek casualties tally greek casualties accounts individuals recounts anecdotes conduct specific battle leader battalion refused undertake night time retreat battle angry debate continuing dawn rest army finally began retreat leaving division expecting eventually led men retreating tradition remembers winning great renown suggested far instead volunteered guard rear lone survivor slaughter battle fellow dismissed army eye infection colleague insisted led battle partially blind preferring return branded suffered year anxious charged persian lines killing savage fury cut agreed awarded special honour failed fight disciplined manner expected considered beautiful man greek camp eager distinguish day warrior deprived chance stray arrow pierced standing formation battle commenced insisted making charge rest collapsed short distance words according die country lifted arm enemy aftermath according occurred afternoon greek fleet king sailed challenge remnants persian fleet ships poor state repair decided risk fighting instead drew ships beach feet army men left fleet joined building camp protect ships decided attack camp allied fleet marines seeing small size greek force emerged camp greek proved superior destroyed persian force ships abandoned greeks burned sea power marking greek fleet twin victories second persian invasion greece threat future invasion greeks remained worried try time apparent persian desire conquer greece diminished remnants persian army command tried retreat asia minor travelling lands macedonia shortest road eventually byzantium losing men attacks hunger victory allied fleet sailed break bridges found sailed home remained attack held region allies strongest town region laid siege protracted siege fell marking beginning new phase persian wars greek counterattack ended histories siege years greeks primarily dominated expel help expel islands peace persia came peace finally ending half century warfare significance great significance ancient history battles decisively ended second persian invasion greece swinging balance persian wars favour greeks kept persia conquering greece paid high price losing men showed defeated saved greece immediate conquest effectively ended threat battles nearly known marathon reason entirely clear result circumstances battle fought fame certainly lies doomed heroism greeks face overwhelming numbers marathon fought odds dire strategic situations conversely battles fought relative position greek strength lesser odds greeks fact sought battle occasions militarily major lesson fought land emphasise superiority lightly armed persian infantry demonstrated marathon taking lesson persian wars persian empire started recruiting relying greek mercenaries mercenary expedition narrated proved greeks militarily vulnerable territory paved way destruction decades later legacy monuments battle bronze column shape snakes column created melted persian weapons acquired persian camp erected commemorated greek city states participated battle listing column confirming claims survives present day istanbul carried constantine great founding city greek colony byzantium ancient sources histories english translation cambridge excerpt library volumes english translation cambridge mass london modern sources history art war vol isbn holland tom isbn green peter persian wars berkeley revised hardcover isbn paperback isbn edward decline fall roman empire isbn defence greece isbn sources citation invention translated papers leeds isbn rome war isbn moses introduction history war translated isbn joseph companion ancient macedonia sons isbn shepherd william glorious victory seen campaign series illustrator isbn
Battle of Plataea