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Herodotos:Welcome traveler, to the site of the legendary Battle of Marathon.
("Who are you?")
Herodotos:My name is Herodotos, and I am a traveler from Halikarnassos. I retrace the cause of various events, such as wars and great calamities. I describe what I see and record what I am told - all with the aim of providing a better understanding of why these things occur. Look for me to introduce you to many sites.
("What do you think of this place?")
Herodotos:It's truly incredible that such a small place would have such tremendous significance. But then again, even the tiniest pebble can send ripples through the water.
("Let's begin the tour.")
Herodotos:Marathon was the location of one of the greatest battles in Greek history. It was here where Athenians made a stand against the might of an imposing Persian fleet. Your visit will take you through the causes of the conflict, the battle itself, and its far-reaching consequences. I will see you again once you're through. Farewell for now.
Grave stele of Pollis, a warrior who died in the battle / 480 BCE (Classical Greece)
In 490 BCE, 600 Persian triremes landed on a beach 35 kilometers from Athens.
Standing in their way were 11,000 hoplites led by the prestigious Athenian general Miltiades.
The Persian forces outnumbered the Greeks approximately five to one, and yet, the smaller force managed to push back their would-be conquerors.
The Battle of Marathon was a major turning point in the Greco-Persian Wars, and the Athenians' victory would be celebrated for many years.
The modern-day distance running event is named a Marathon in memory of a soldier from the battle who ran back to Athens to announce their victory, though whether this is real or legend is uncertain.
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The Persian army had many bow-wielding horsemen. Because of this, its forces were very mobile, and especially effective on the dry and rocky terrain of the Middle East. However, Persian cavalry was much less comfortable in mountainous regions and wooded areas.
Archers frieze from Darius' Palace in Susa / 5th cent. BCE (Achaemenid period)
The Persians wanted to invade Greece in part due to its rich silver mines.
In 545 BCE, they came closer to this goal after their victory over Kroisos, the king of Lydia.
The victory forced some Greek population in Asia Minor to surrender, and gave the Persians a solid foothold to carry out a large scale invasion.
In 494 BCE, the city of Miletos revolved against its Persian rulers. They were aided by Athens and the nearby city of Eretria, and even burned down an important Persian temple.
The Persian king Darius was enraged by their sacrilege, and in 491 BCE, sent messengers to the Greek cities demaning their submission.
Athens and Sparta killed the Persian messengers, goading Darius to invade.
The Persians began their attacks, first capturing the city of Naxos and enslaving its inhabitants, then taking the city of Eretria.
Filled with confidence from their string of victories, the Persians set their sights on Athens.
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The Persian king Darius proclaimed that he was chosen by the god Ahura Mazda to be "King of Kings" and "Master of the World".
He did his best to live up to those titles, and conquered Egypt, Babylonia, the Lydian's section of Asia Minor, as well as several smaller states.
Darius allowed his subjects a fair amount of autonomy, but also demanded yearly tributes, as well as troops in the event of a war.
Apollo Karneios from the obverse of a diobol from Metapontion / 325-275 BCE (Hellenistic Greece)
The Greeks were surprised by the ferocity of the Persian attacks.
Seeking aid against the upcoming invasion, Athens was forced to appeal to other cities for help.
In a surprising move, they asked for aid from Sparta, known for having the strongest army in Greece.
The Spartans agreed to the request, but they were unable to send reinforcements in time due to the religious feast of Apollo Karneios, which forbade them from leaving their city until the next full moon.
The only extra help Athens managed to acquire was from the small Boeotian city of Plataia, which sent an additional 1,000 hoplites.
This was the first time in Greek history that their entire civilization was under attack from an external invader.
Despite sharing the same language and same religion, Greek city states had often warred amongst themselves.
The Persian invasion was the first time they realized the necessity of collective action to ensure their survival.
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Plataia was the site of the famous Battle of Plataia, one of the most important battles in the Greco-Persian Wars. The battle ended in a decisive victory for the Greeks, who managed to successfully repel the Persian invaders.
Persian soldier fleeing. Detail of an Attic red-figure neck-amphora / 490-470 BCE (Classical Greece)
The Persian fleet originally planned to land at the port of Phaleron.
However, the exiled Athenian tyrant Hippias - who sided with the Persians - advised them to land at Marathon instead, where it would be easier to deploy cavalry.
The Athenians were unaware of the Persian battle plans, and left Marathon undefended.
This allowed the Persians to quietly set up camp on the beach while Athens scrambled to mount a defense.
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For a while, Phaleron served as Athens' main port.
This changed after the general and politician Themistokles encouraged the development of the natural harbors of Piraeus. Piraeus turned into a bustling port of its own and Phaleron was gradually abandoned.
Marble bust of Miltiades / 5th cent. BCE (Classical Greece)
The Persians' overwhelming numerical superiority forced the Athenians to get creative with their defensive strategy.
The city sent 10,000 hoplites - along with the extra 1,000 Plataian reinforcements - to a hill located above the Persian encampment.
Once in position, Athenians had to decide whether to wait for the Persians to attack, or to strike them first.
Athens' strategists believed the former option was better, but the general Miltiades believed a first strike was more advantageous, as the Persians had their backs to the sea.
In the end, Miltiades' opinion prevailed, and the Greeks made their move.
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Before the Battle of Marathon, the general Miltiades was suspected of aspiring to tyranny. After his victory, however, he returned to Athens a hero.
Miltiades took advantage of his newfound popularity to request a large fleet. While he kept the reasons for his a secret, it was eventually revealed that he was using Athenian military resources to wage a personal war against the city of Paros.
Miltiades' siege of Paros was unsuccessful, and the general suffered an injury that later led to gangrene. When he returned to Athens, he was put on trial for his actions, and though he managed to avoid the death penalty, he was charged with an enormous fine. He did shortly thereafter.
("I'm ready for the quiz.")
("Take on the next suggested tour.")
("Take me on a random tour.")
([LEAVE] "That's all for now.")
