By Pinelli. September 490 BCE. Then he ordered his Greek warriors to attack the Persian line at a dead run. Occasionally, he is forced into personal comment, as on…. Mardonius himself was killed in action with the Spartans, and the leaderless Persians then broke and fled. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As always in an ancient battle, the casualties of a routing army were horrific. He was so tired, that he died right after he told them the news. 480 BCE. In any case the name of the runner is different. This battle is also considered to be a defining moment in the development of European culture. After initial maneuvers, Mardonius established a base at Plataea in the territory of Persia’s ally, Thebes. …fate of the town of Plataea due to the long-embittered envy and cruelty of Thebes and the faithlessness of Sparta, and the harsh brutality of Cleon when he proposed to execute all the men of the Aegean island city of Mytilene. According to historians, Pheidippides did make an impressive run, but it was before the Battle of Marathon, not after. Battle of Plataea . This offensive gave the Greeks the chance they needed. Donald Sommerville is a writer and editor specializing in military history. This maneuver did not go as planned, and when dawn broke the Greek force was strung out and disorganized. The two armies met on the Plain of Marathon twenty-six miles north of Athens. under Xerxes I, son of Darius. Battle of Thermopylae. However, Miltiades – one of the Greek generals, made a passionate appeal for boldness and manage to convince his fellow generals to attack the Persians. Share Flipboard Email Print The Greek soldiers pursue the routed Persians back to their ships, having won a decisive victory at the Battle of Marathon, September 490 BC. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 480 BCE. The Greek army, under the Spartan Pausanius, assembled on hills near the Persian camp to confront them. Updates? Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The battle is also the story of how one Greek city-state defied the greatest empire of the time – and won. Omissions? Battle of Marathon happened on September 490 BCE of northeastern Attica in which the Athenians repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece. At first, neither side wanted to make a full-scale attack, but the Persian cavalry successfully raided Greek supply routes and blocked some of the springs that provided their water supply. © 2019 History Lists. Battle Of Marathon. Pausanius therefore decided on a night move to a new position. The Battle of Marathon was an important moment for the victorious Athenians. Following the Greek naval success at the Battle of Salamis in 480 bce, Persian King Xerxes left Greece with much of his army. So, Greek generals hesitated about their next steps. Persian armada of 600 ships had one goal – to crush the Greek states in retaliation for their support of their Ionian cousins who had revolted against Persian rule. The Persians invaded Greece again in 480 B.C. Persian armada of 600 ships had one goal – to crush the Greek states in retaliation for their support of their Ionian cousins who had revolted against Persian rule. Although Xerxes had returned to Asia and the Persian fleet had retreated to the eastern Aegean (and would be defeated there in 479 bce), Mardonius still had a vast army, substantially larger than the Greek alliance’s force. He was the one who had to deliver the news about the victory to Athenian leaders. The truth is that the Athenian center broke, but it held long enough for the Athenians to rout the Persians wings. Battle of Plataea, (July 479 bce). Plutarch, writing in the 1st century AD, says it did. By ordering his soldiers to reinforce the wings, Miltiades manage to break through the lighter-clad Persian infantry. This lead to major panic among the invaders. The legend says that the messenger Pheidippides ran about 42.2 kilometers (26 miles) from Marathon to Athens, the capital of Greece. He had to run from Athens to Sparta, around 225 kilometers (140 miles) away. The truth, however, is that we cannot establish this with certainty. Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. Joined Greek city-states under King Leonidas of Sparta held off the Persian invasion for seven days in the Battle of Thermopylae. Now while the Battle of Marathon is a historical fact, there's a lot of debate of whether this particular event involving Pheidippides actually happened. However, the legend is not true. Battle of Marathon. Thousands of Persians were slaughtered on the retreat or in their camp; what was left of the Persian army withdrew north into Thessaly. Battle of Marathon happened on September 490 BCE of northeastern Attica in which the Athenians repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece. The Battle on the plain of Marathon in September 490 BCE between Greeks and the invading forces of Persian king Darius I (r. 522-486 BCE) was a victory that would go down in folklore as the moment the Greek city-states showed the world their courage and excellence and won their liberty.Although in reality the battle only delayed the Persians in their imperialistic ambitions and … It often said that the battle of Marathon was one of the few really decisive battles in history. It was fought between the Athenians and the Persians.Athens was supported by a small force from the city of Plataea. The Battle of Marathon took place in September 490 BC on the plain of Marathon. 480 BCE. This battle earned them a place in history for their last stand. He cites the account of Heraclides of Pontus but that work has been lost. Miltiades ordered his Greek warriors to form a line equal in length to that of the Persians. Greek soldiers charged the barbarians at a run making the distance between two army’s short with each run. The battle of Marathon is one of history’s most famous military engagements. Battle of Salamis. Interestingly, it’s also one of the earliest recorded battles. Not only did its result signal the beginning of the “Golden Age of Greece”, but it was also a key moment in the rise of western civilisation and one of its key espoused values: democracy. However, the initial victory of the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon that is most remembered today. The Battle of Marathon remains one of the most important military clashes in history. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. He holds degrees in History and War Studies from Oxford and London Universities and his previous books include. Battle Of Marathon: One Of The Earliest Recorded Battles, How Passengers Enjoyed They Life On Titanic Before It Tragically Sunk, Queen Elizabeth – The Youngest Queen In Modern History, Treaty Of Rapallo – A German-Russian Secret agreement, Hollywood Actors Who Are Shorter Than They Appear On-Screen, Top 5 Events That Changed American History, 20-Year Old Photo Confirmed Why This Mom Was Suspicious About Her Daughter’s College Sweetheart, Old Photography Process: Collodion Wet Plate, Top Ten Battles of All Time Finally Listed, Rare Vietnam War Photos That You Never Saw Before. Battle of Marathon was the first major victory of Greece over the Persian Empire and proved to be a turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars. Battle of Artemisium. At close quarters their well-armed hoplite infantry gradually gained the upper hand. The battlefield area was flat and surrounded by sea and hills which was perfect for Persian army, while it was horrifying for the Greek army due to the number of Persians.