Special Sub-Topic: Battles that Changed the World: Marathon Authored by: Historygod Sub-topic of: Ancient Greece

The Battle of Marathon was a decisive battle in the Greco-Persian Wars. This was the Persians' first attempt to conquer Greece. In what year did the Battle of Marathon take place?

490 BC. 511 BC was when Hippias, tyrant of Athens was exiled. 480 was the Battle of Thermopylae and 492 was when the war began.

The King of Persia's first attempt to take over Greece began in 492 BC. We know him by the Roman name for him. His Persian name for him is dɒrjuʃ]. His Greek name is Δαρεῖος. Who is this King?

Darius I. Darius I took control of Persia through a rebellion that killed the sons of Cyrus the Great. He fought in several wars that also brought him to India and Thrace. His son Xerxes succeeded him.

This man was one of the ten generals the Greeks had. He is credited with the victory of Marathon because of his tactics. He was a thorn in the side of the Persians. Who was he?

Miltiades. Miltiades the Younger was a brave soldier who was also a dictator of a few Greek colonies and was a part of the Ionian Revolt. His son, Metioches, was a life-long prisoner of the Persians. He lost at the battle of Paros, and the politicians at Athens took advantage of this and charged him with treason. They sentenced him to death, but the sentenced was commuted to a fine of fifty talents. He could not afford this and was sent to prison where historians think he died of gangrene.

In the first part of the battle, the Greeks did something. It is very important to the battle because the Greeks made a final stand after this part. They did it with minimum casualties. What did they do?

Pull back. The Greeks pulled back, as planned. This caused a 'double envelope' (a military tactic where both flanks of the enemy are attacked simultaneously) which left the Persians in chaos.

There were said to be 6,400 Persians lost in the battle, though no one knows how many drowned in the swamp that they crossed. The Athenians sustained much lighter casualties. How many Athenians were killed?

192. Most of these killed were during the final chase of the Persians as it turned out that their heavy armor was a disadvantage.

Another city sent its troops to reinforce the Athenians. They arrived too late but witnessed the aftermath of the battle. They knew that the Athenians had won. Though some historians doubt it, this group covered 220 kilometers in 3 days. Who were these solders?

Spartans. The Spartans rushed to the battle only to find out that they missed it. They toured the battlefield, saw the bodies and the ground, and came to the conclusion that the Athenians had won.

The dead Athenians were given a special honor and not buried at the Athenian cemetery of Kerameikos. They are the only Athenians to have enjoyed this honor. What happened to the dead Athenians' bodies?

They were buried where they were killed. They were the only ones to buried where they died rather than in the Athenian Graveyard. On each of their tombs is written: Ελλήνων προμαχούντες Αθηναίοι Μαραθώνι χρυσοφόρων Μήδων εστόρεσαν δύναμιν The Athenians, as defenders of the Hellenes, in Marathon destroyed the might of the golden-dressed Medes In the 1880s, a team of archaeologists excavated the grave. They also found a hastily constructed grave with several bones in it which turned out to be the Persians.

According to legend, a man named Pheidippides was on his way to Sparta to ask for help. One of the Greek gods came and visited him and asked him why the Athenians did not honor him. Pheidippides promised that they would from now on. Who was this god?

Pan. The Athenians held the "Festival of Agroteras Thusia" was held from then on. They also built a temple to honor to Pan and a sacrifice was made to Pan annually.

Another legend has it that a man brought his animal along with him to the Battle of Marathon. It is said that this animal fought alongside his owner. This animal is on the Poikile Stoa. What kind of animal was it?

Dog. There is a legend, by Claudius Aelianus, that has a dog fighting with his master. The dog and master survived the battle (according tot he legend).

Marathon is famous for the Marathon run that a man ran from Marathon to Athens to say "Νενικήκαμεν!" ("We are victorious!") to the Athenians and the he died on the spot. Who is the person that ran from Marathon to Athenians?

Pheidippides. It is a result of this that the modern Olypmic games include a "Marathon" (of 26 miles 385 yards, or 42.195 km). This legend is not true because Pheidippides wasn't at the battle! He was going to Sparta (as I have stated in Question 8). They credit the false facts to the historian Herodotus, who wrote about the Persian Wars. I have enjoyed playing this quiz and hope to continue the series "Battles that Changed the World" soon.