Marathon August [?], 490 BC

Strategic ContextAfter the failures of an expedition in 492 BC and diplomacy the following year, Darius of Persia invades Greece in 490 BC. A Persian rearguard encamps on the plain of Marathon while the main force threatens Athens by sea. Former Athenian tyrant, Hippias, accompanies the Persians in the hopes of provoking political upheaval in Athens. Most of Greece is intimidated into inaction while even the Spartans do not fight due to a religious festival; only tiny Plataea comes to Athens’ defence. The Athenians must secure a quick victory before Athenian politics betray their cause.

Stakes+ A Persian victory would result in the capture of Athens and the subsequent collapse of the rest of northern Greece.

+ An Athenian victory would allow them to march to Athens’ defence and repel the Persian invasion.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

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Marathon, 490 BCStrength

Athenians & Plataeans

Well

Persians

Datis

Well

Militiades

11,000 hoplites 19,000 infantry1,000 cavalry

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Persian Empire c. 490 BC

Persians

(Datis)

N

Athenians & Plateans

(Miltiades)

The battlefield is extremely restricted with rivers hemming in the two sides on the northwestern and northeastern sides and the Bay of Marathon to the southeast. The actual battlefield is relatively flat with elevated ground to the southwest and northwest. The lowest ground is the marshland in the southern corner of the battlefield.

Bay of Marathon

Plain of Marathon

0 0.5 1 km

Persians

(Datis)

Persians

(Datis)

19,000 infantry

1,000 cavalry

Athenians & Plataeans

(Miltiades)

11,000 hoplites

N

The Immortals

The Immortals are Persia’s most elite unit which double as an imperial guard and conventional land force. Their numerical strength is always supplemented to 10,000, dead or wounded being replaced immediately. This is done to preserve the cohesion and mystique of the unit.

Miltiades deploys his army in a long, thin line across the valley to prevent the Persian cavalry from rounding his flanks; he places more weight on his wings at the expense of his center. Miltiades plans to rush the Persian line with his heavy hoplites before Persian missiles can take their toll. Datis distributes his troops evenly but places his elite infantry, the Immortals, at his center. The Persian cavalry is just returning from a foraging assignment and is not yet ready for battle. Datis’ troops are more lightly armoured than the Athenians, and rely on missiles to defeat the enemy.

The Athenians sprint towards the Persians, the wings edging ahead of the center, in order to negate the Persian advantage of having significant numbers of missile throwers. The Persian missile throwers underestimate the fitness of the hoplites and the speed of their advance as most of their missiles land harmlessly behind the Athenians.

Not surprisingly, the greater weight of Miltiades’ wings push back those of the lightly armoured Persians while Datis’ Immortals push back the thinly manned Athenian center. Meanwhile, the Persian cavalry is only now ready to partake in the battle.

Athenians & Plataeans Persians

Hoplites Infantry

Cavalry

Transport ships

Symbol guide

Athenians & Plateans

(Miltiades) 0 0.5 1 km

Some Persians drown after unknowingly running into marshland. The remaining Persian units are pounded by the Athenian hoplites on the beaches, where they suffer the majority of their casualties. Although the Persians escape by sea, the Athenians capture seven of their ships.

Not surprisingly, the greater weight of Miltiades’ wings push back those of the lightly armoured Persians while Datis’ Immortals push back the thinly manned Athenian center. Meanwhile, the Persian cavalry is only now ready to partake in the battle.

Sensing the danger to his centre, Miltiades orders it to hang back. Datis however does not sense the danger to his wings. Just as the Athenian center appears to break, the Persian wings are soundly defeated and retreat in disarray. The Athenian wings surround the Persian centre and begin to attack its flanks.

The Persians are still numerically superior so Miltiades leaves a passage of retreat, knowing a desperate enemy fights its hardest. The Persian center, besieged on three sides, panics and retreats in disarray along with the wings. The Persian cavalry counterattacks before being swept away, but this does allow Datis to organize a rearguard.

Persians

(Datis)

Persians

(Datis)

19,000 infantry

1,000 cavalry

Athenians & Plataeans

(Miltiades)

11,000 hoplites

The Immortals

The Immortals are Persia’s most elite unit which double as an imperial guard and conventional land force. Their numerical strength is always supplemented to 10,000, dead or wounded being replaced immediately. This is done to preserve the cohesion and mystique of the unit.

N

Athenians & Plataeans Persians

Hoplites Infantry

Cavalry

Transport ships

Symbol guide

0 0.5 1 kmAthenians & Plateans

(Miltiades)

Athenians & Plateans:Persians:

6,400

or

32%

>200

or

2%

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Marathon, 490 BCCasualties & Aftermath

The Athenians had little time to celebrate their victory as Athens itself was still undefended. The hoplites arrived in Athens before the Persian fleet, which then saw the triumphant army, hesitated, and sailed away, effectively ending the Persian expedition. It would only be another decade before a Persian force invaded Greece again.

The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps

http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009