"Defenders of the Hellenes Athenians marathon
gold-bearing Medes estoresan dynamin »
THE BATTLE OF MARATHON
(September 490 BC)
"They were the first Greeks, as far as I know, who attacked and ran the first who saw the fearless Alfalfa clothing and men who wore; why, until then, no Greek could not stand nor hear the name without Mede feel terror '
HERODOTUS
The period of Greek history between 492-479 BC is known as a phase of "Persian Wars". This is a period of conflict between the city-states of Greece and the mighty Persian Empire The cause of the Persian Wars was the expansionist policy of the Persians. They were unable to expand to the East (to India), or beyond Egypt (due to the Libyan Desert) or to the inhospitable land of Scythia (to the north). So the only option was to move westward to the European continent. Greece was the main obstacle to be overcome to achieve the objective and Athens was the most resolute opponents in Greece.
The Persians needed only an excuse, and the Athenians gave 500 BC when the Greek cities of Asia Minor were part of the Persian Empire revolted against the Persians. Athens to help sent 20 ships and the small town of Eretria Evia 5 ships. The rebels initially had some successes and burned Sardis, the capital of the Persian satrap of Ionia. Soon, however, defeated by the Persians. King Darius of Persia, learning that some unknown city-states of Greece had sent aid to the rebels, asked to know what was Athens. When he told them their cocky Athenians angry so much that he threw his bow with an arrow in the sky and vowed to punish them. So much was the anger that every night put one of his servants saying: "Lord, memnison the Athenians!".
In this way the Athenians gave the Great King the reason he wanted to invade Greece and pave the way to Europe. To invade Greece Darius had two paths: one by sea and one by land. Each of these roads have advantages and disadvantages. Finally chose the road from the sea and that proved disastrous.His first expedition in 492 BC failed because a storm, "sent by the Gods of Olympus" destroyed his fleet. Two years later tried a second time to move again from the sea but from the southern sea route. The campaign has resulted in the Battle of Marathon.
After the failure of the campaign of 492 BC, Darius ordered preparations to begin new and according to the custom of the time he sent messengers to the Greeks ask for ' earth and water 'as a token of submission. Many have complied, others not at first Athens and Sparta. Athenians felt so outrageous requirement that the Persians threw preachers into the abyss of the Acropolis and sentenced to death the unfortunate interpreters because "fouled" the Greek language!The Spartans threw their preachers to the nearest well, to find abundant "earth and water"!
After that war was inevitable. In the spring of 490 BC the Persian army and navy was ready. Head was Datis , a Mede and Artafernis , nephew of King.Their mission was forcing all Greek cities were given " earth and water "to become vassals to the Great King, but also destroy Eretria and Athens "to carry forward the slaves all residents."
The Persian fleet carrying a force of infantry and cavalry and crossed the Aegean and in late August or early September 490 BC. Most islands were subjugated met. The Siege of Eretria lasted six days until some of the residents helped the Persians to cross the walls. The city was destroyed and its inhabitants who survived the massacre that followed were captured. From Eretria, the Persian fleet at Marathon where he spent anchored and landed the army. The point I was picking up was approximately 35 km NE of Athens. 's power Persian army must have been around 48,000 men, although this number varies according to the historians who described the battle. Why did the Persians chose to Marathon disembark? There is a story behind this choice.
The Athenians at that time were exiled Hippias, son of Pisistratus, who along with the remaining fans in Athens, dreamed assume power again. Hippias had found refuge in the court of the Great King, and Persians had followed the campaign against Greece as a consultant. It was he who told Datis and Artaphernes to land at Marathon. His argument was that they could not hope to Athenians evacuated from Athens, thus facilitating the capture of authority from their followers. It also seems that Hippias had in mind the battle that gave his father, Pisistratus, with his political opponents in Marathon 47 years ago. Peisistratus had won and became tyrant of Athens. To reiterate what Liddell Hart wrote, if this was the intention of the landing at Marathon, then reached the purpose of why the Athenians finally decided to rush to Marathon to face the intruder. But was this the right decision? Seems Hippias knew well the Patriots, because the Athenians were going there anyway. Once informed of the landing of the Persian messenger sent to Sparta to ask for help and also studied the following possible ways forward to address the threat:
· To meet the Persians at Marathon (the most adventurous of the three). · To expect the Persians in the crossing of Pallini (15 km east of Athens. · To face the Persians through the walls of Athens (the worst of the three ).
T Propellers adopted the first solution because the insistence of Miltiades , one of the ten Athenian generals. Miltiades convinced the Athenians telling them that their appearance in Marathon will surprise very Persians. It seems that the surveillance system of the Athenians was very effective because immediately spotted the landing of the enemy. It should be borne in mind that the Athenian army could arrive at Marathon in 8 hours through the passage of Pallini.
The Athenian messenger arrived in Sparta after 48 hours. The Spartans were willing to help but not to violate the law prohibiting them from leaving Sparta before the filling of the moon. So they waited for the full moon and then sent a force to help the Athenians. This force arrived when the battle was over. But the Athenians had a pleasant surprise when they arrived at Marathon: a force of1,000 Plataeans joined them to fight against the Persians. Athens would never forgetting the brave act of Plataeans.
Here it is necessary to analyze the organization, administration, doctrine and the way they fought the Athenians and the Persians.
The Persian army consisted of infantry and excellent cavalry. The doctrine was defensive because their main weapon was the bow. The usual tactic was to wait for the enemy to come close and then to "bury" under a cloud of arrows. 480 BC The Xerxes did not hide the fact when told Leonidas at Thermopylae that Persian arrows would hide the sun (to get the historical answer "Better because we will fight in the shade! '). The weapons and armor of the Persian infantry made it unsuitable for combat won especially with heavily armed Greek warriors. As for the order of battle, the Persians put the best parts of them, Persians and Sakas in the center of the device battle, while the wings were putting parts of their dependents. The cavalry were growing on the side so you can cover and outweigh the opponent, depending on the case.
On the other hand the doctrine of the Greek army was aggressive. The main weapon, long spear, heavy armor (helmet, breastplate, greaves and shield) and the battle formation, the phalanx of battle favored the quarters. The convoy had a uniform array of eight ranks deep. At that time the Athenian army had neither cavalry nor bows. The Athenians were divided into ten tribes. Each tribe had to prepare for battle 1,000 hoplites and a general to appoint as their leader. Thus the Athenian army consisted of 10,000 soldiers managed by 10 generals. In force must be added the slaves and the light infantry were armed with spears.
When the army mobilized for war, each day was assigned as commanding general of the whole army that day. Because decisions are taken by vote, to avoid a tie, the city appointed another general who had the title of warlord, and who had the right to vote. So because the votes were eleven there was no tie.
With regard to the spirit of the Athenians Herodotus , a contemporary historian and alleged father of history writes: "Freedom and Equality in common are great incentives and so those who when they lived under the yoke of the despot was no better fighters than their neighbors, just released the first made by all. Why does everyone feel that fighting for a free commonwealth, actually fought for himself and whatever undertook to do was willing to do it completely. "
Miltiades, one of the ten generals belonged to one of the noblest families of Athens. Rich was 28 years ago and had gone in as governor of Thrace Peninsula (now Dardanelles). There he lived until 494 BC. When the Persian empire expanded in that area was conquered by Miltiades the Great King Darius and closely followed the Persian army on his expedition against the Scythians. So he had a good knowledge of tactics used. During his stay in Hersonissos, Miltiades won and placed under the guardianship s Athens, the islands of Lemnos and Imbros. For this reason, the prestige of the public was high. So when it became known that the Persians were preparing invasion was elected as one of the ten Athenian generals. Of the ten generals know the names of only five.
Two of them will play an important role after ten years: their names were Themistocles and Aristides. The first will lead the Greeks to victory at theBattle of Salamis (480 BC) and the second the Athenians at the battle of Plataea (479 BC). It is also known that the warlord was Callimachus .
plain of Marathon The crescent has a length of approximately 10 km and a maximum width of three kilometers in the middle. The valley narrows at the ends of which were at that time members who during the battle was flooded and therefore the soil was not suitable for cavalry operations. The Persians have knocked their ships ashore and camped on smooth, level ground. Aback when they saw the army of the Athenians at Marathon arrives to camp in the valley of Vlore. The location chosen was immune from attack and had a full view of the Persian camp. Athenians became clear that the enemy did not intend to move from land to Athens because they did not understand the pathways leading to it. So the fear of betrayal became decisive factor for the conduct of the battle.
At a council of war was held tie: five quarterbacks with the first Miltiades prefer to attack immediately, while the other five voted to attack after the arrival of helping the Spartans. That was Miltiades, according to Herodotus, Callimachus sent the warlord, whose vote would be decisive, in the following words: " up to you, O Callimachus, either lead Athens to slavery, or to ensure the free and to leave to future generations a memory far more pronounced than the memory of those who made Athens democracy. Because ever since the Athenian people were not experienced such a big risk as it is today .. '..
Following this reason Callimachus voted to direct the battle.
For eight days the two armies faced each other for still. On the ninth day the Persians began to board ships. Became apparent that a covering force would keep the Athenians at Marathon, while the rest of the army would sail to Athens to occupy the defenseless city. The situation required immediate action and Miltiades who that day was his turn to become a commander, ordered his army of 10,000 Athenians and 1,000 Plataeans developed for battle. Miltiades faced two difficult problems to solve implemented a new tactic, completely deviating from the traditional tactic used by the Greeks until now.
Considering that the Persian army was deployed at a depth of 30 men (as described by Xenophon in his "Education of Cyrus"). 48,000 So the men of the Persian army would form a front length of 1,600 meters.To equalize this front Miltiades had to deploy his men in a very thin line.While the 10,000 Athenians disposed at a depth of 8 men in their forehead would have exploded 1,250 meters, so the hand will be dangerously exposed. But Miltiades knew from previous experience how it is developed by the Persians in their army for battle: the city put the best parts of them (Persians and Sakas), while in the military wing of the submissive.
He also noted that the Persian cavalry had already boarded thing that gave him two advantages: first, it threatened the flanks of the army of Athenians and secondly, they covered the side of the Persian army. These observations led him to pursue a completely new tactic that would duplicate Hannibal after three centuries in the battle of Cannes and the Germans in Tannempergk after 24 centuries.
Miltiades deliberately weakened center to form a thin line from two tribes, tribes commanded by Themistocles and Aristides, with a depth of only four men (because each tribe had 1,000 men in front at this point was 500 meters). In each of the wings had developed four breeds to the usual depth of 8 men thereby forming front 500 meters on each side.(Thus the total width of the forehead was 1,500 meters). Finally the left of the left side developed its Plateans a depth of 8 men so the width of the forehead is 1,625 meters. Callimachus occupied the honorary position on the right wing.
· The Persian army would try to destroy the Athenians with arrows. The range of crossbows was about 150-200 meters. Consequently, the critical distance before they are heavily armed Athenian hoplites to engage the Persians in combat won had to be met in the shortest possible time and this could only be done if the soldiers covered the distance running. For this reason, Miltiades applied the technique of induction. Once the convoy would arrive within the range of Persian arrows would start running to cross the danger zone as quickly as possible and fall to the Persians with the utmost vigor.
Hey Chi in the morning of 17 September 490 BC with perfect synchronization Miltiades gave the order and the 11,000 Athenians and Plataeans formed the phalanx and moved against the enemy while the surrounding hills resounded to be the anthem of the great poet Aeschylus, who fought in Marathon, saved us in the famous tragedy "The Persians":
'HEIs boys Greeks eleftheroute homeland eleftheroute no children, women, gods Native species, thikas tech ancestors, now the struggle for everything! "
Herodotus tells us that "When the Persians saw the Athenians go down without cavalry or archers and scanty, believed that he was a mad army that ran out to meet with destruction."
Quickly took a provision to deal with "crazy" . When they got near the danger zone, the Athenians launched the attack. The conflict evolved exactly as he planned Miltiades. Phylae the center of Aristides and Themistocles fell to the ground which gave them the opportunity to reorganize and continue the battle. On the wings the Athenians and Plataeans diverted to flee their opponents. Then Miltiades gave the command to ignore the retreating enemy and turn against the Persians noton the center. So he did the Persians surrounded by their opponents had no chance against the spears of the Greeks with short spears, short swords and shields that have knit. They fought hard but eventually succumbed and hitherto invincible Persians turned their backs and fled. The Athenians followed them to the ships.
There was the hardest battle and there were the Athenians the heaviest losses.There fell the Kynaigeiros , brother of Aeschylus, the polite and brave warlord Callimachus and many other Athenians. Battling hard Persians managed to save all their ships except for seven who conquered the Athenians. The loss of the Greeks was 192 Athenians killed and an unknown number Plataeans and slaves, as evidenced by the fact that the Athenians buried their dead in three tombs . In one buried Athenian citizens, in the other the Plataeans and third slaves.
The Tomb of the Athenians still exists. It is believed that the tomb of Plataeans located at the foot of Penteli. The tomb of slaves is not identified yet. Among them was a small child who was killed by a Persian arrow while giving water to the fighters during the battle. The Persians lost 6,400 men, but within them there must have been many prisoners, as Herodotus says that when Miltiades realized that the Persian fleet could sail to Athens and attacked the defenseless city, left the Tribes of Aristides and Themistocles had tried hard in the center of the phalanx to guard the spoils and captives and the rest of the army moved to the city.
It is also known that when the battle was nearing the end of someone at the top of Penteli picked up a shield and sent a video signal. Supposedly this was a signal to the Persians by a follower of Hippias, that the city was undefended or, more likely, that he was someone special Athenian observer could easily see from Penteli direction of the Persian fleet to Athens.
The Persian leaders actually sailed to Athens and arrived at Faliro bay. There they waited another surprise: in the distant hills saw the shields of the Athenians to shine in the sun. So they set their fleet and returned to Persia.The evening arrived and the Spartans. They asked permission to visit the battlefield and when they were granted permission expressed their admiration for the feat of the Athenians.
Thus ended the first major conflict between Greece and Persia, but the fight did not end there. After ten years a vast Persian army under him the Great King Xerxes invaded Greece will to be defeated at Salamis and Plataea.
It was the battle of Marathon a "decisive" battle?
Two distinguished historians Fuller in his "Military History of the Western World" and Creasy in his "Fifteen Decisive Battles" have different opinions.According to Fuller «The Battle of Marathon was a remarkable battle both in terms of the strategy of the Persians was admirable and the tactics of the Greeks were no less remarkable ...
For the first time in their history the Greeks defeated the Persians in their own element, the land, and Marathon winners endowed with faith in their destiny that was to endure for three centuries, during which western culture was born.Marathon was the birth of Europe. "
The Creasy comes closer to the Greek opinion that the battle of Marathon was decisive for world history. According to Creasy "The Battle of Marathon broke forever the myth of invincibility of the Persians who paralyzed the minds.Created among the Greeks the spirit which beat back Xerxes and afterwards led Xenophon, Agesilaus and Alexander in terrible retaliation through their Asiatic campaigns. It secured for mankind the intellectual treasures of Athens, the growth of free institutions, the liberal enlightenment of the western world and the gradual rise for many centuries the great principles of European civilization. " What was the most important in terms of the Greeks appear to epigram is the tomb of the Athenians:
"Defenders of the Hellenes Athenians marathon gold-bearing Medes estoresan dynamin" .
The Athenians were the first who realized that UNITY of all the Greek city-states was needed to counter the threat from the Persians.
What conclusions can we draw from the battle of Marathon, the battle in which the courage won over numbers and combat won the shot with arrows?
The most important conclusion is that the battle was a triumph of moral forces against numbers. Athenian citizens who fought at Marathon, knew what they were fighting: for their fields, their families and their homes. On the other hand, Asians and African troops, except the Persians did not know what they were fighting and many of them simply had to choose who would kill them: the Athenians and the Persians!
Regarding the principles of war can be said that Miltiades applied for the first time in history, without having graduated from a military academy, the following:
Aggression : He took the initiative and ordered the attack on the Persian numerically smaller forces at the right time.
Economy Forces Concentration : Develop its parts in such a way as to hit the weakest point of the line of the Persians with the strongest point of his own device. In other words applied strong combat power at the decisive place and time. In this way, he did what few quarterbacks have done: he broke a 'taboo' by changing a tactic long applied risking an "anathema" in case of failure.
Unity of command Herodotus tells us that the Athenian generals offered a series of command to Miltiades, but he attacked the day had come to his own series. This ensured that all tribes were under one responsible commander.
Surprise: First he persuaded the Athenians to go to Marathon and then attacked the Persians crunch with new tactics so that the Persians believed that the Athenians had gone mad!
Maneuver : In the battle of Marathon, Miltiades applied the double envelopment maneuver. No matter that the front was small. So battles were fought in those days. What is important is that this magnificent maneuver, often repeated by other great generals devised and directed successfully for the first time since Miltiades who had no previous knowledge or example.
Eventually I correct to quote the opinion of Miltiades a distinguished historian, Hans Delbruck who in his classic work "The History of the Art of War, War in Antiquity" wrote:
"The image of Miltiades as a commander on the battlefield standing giant in the early annals of world military history. We find here the most complete and the most rare form of leadership that has spawned the martial art to date, the combination of defense - attack in the simple artistic lines of the first major military event. What insight in choosing the battlefield, what self pending the enemy attack, what power over the masses, over a proud, democratic citizens to be able to hold them firmly in the chosen position and then lead them to a frenzied attack at the decisive moment! Everything was set for the moment-not a minute earlier, the Athenians would reach the enemy xepnooi and disorganized, not a minute later, so many of the arrows of the enemy would have found their target and the large number of men who will fall and would be reluctant to break the momentum of the assault, which would fall like an avalanche on enemy lines if you wanted to win. We will have an opportunity to analyze and other similar cases, but never greater than this. "
MILTIADIS
The great minds of Miltiades managed to achieve a victory against an overwhelmingly superior enemy, applying kainotropi strategy and tactics. Fully exploit the advantages of his own army and simultaneously reduced the advantages of the opponent.
The enemy army that had landed on the plain of Marathon, included infantry fighting ability, greatly superior in number Athenian. In the regular army was inferior from regular Athenian phalanx of soldiers and weapons for close-quarters combat ex was below the corresponding Greek. Instead outweigh the capital of weapons, as had ekivolo powerful weapon, the bow, and was thus able to hit the opponent from quite a distance up to 150 meters and causes serious damage before the collision of quarters. Besides the overwhelmingly superior Persian army cavalry (horsemen power 1000-3000, Cornelius Nepos says 10,000), weapon dyskatamachito the phalanx of hoplites in the open field.Still had the Persian army's reputation powerful and invincible. And finally just had to subdue Naxos, the other Cyclades Karystos and Eretria.
Information (possibly defector Ionians) said that the cavalry had retired from the plain. This solved the difficult problem of Miltiades. The other two were left: the predominance and toxefmaton.
Arrayed his army-from right to left as they see the enemy-the first four races in the series with a depth of 8 scales. Then the next two races with less depth of 4 rows and then the other teseres deep again 8 scales.Side at the left end Plataeans, honorably. At the far right (the Athenians at the right end paretasan selectively) received the honorary position the warlord Callimachus. The thinned and fragile center line (the one that will accept the pressure of the elite forces of the Persians) accounted races Antiochis with generals and Leonce Aristides and Themistocles entered the thankless task of planned retreat. The whole front line was over 1600 meters. The distance of each soldier from the counsel was one (1) meter, so the shields in diameter and 90 cm as the state with the left hand, covered the left flank to the left stile. To prevent a recurrence of the cavalry in the valley and to achieve surprise opponent Miltiades set the start of the attack at dawn. Not to be given time to prepare the cavalry decided that access to enemy lines to become briefly (! ).
Finally, to reduce the effects of toxefmaton defined the last 200 yards to go with even greater speed (!). Note that the distance between the two armies was 5,000 feet
The results of the battle is known, 192 dead Greeks - 6,400 dead Persians. On the battlefield or Athenian marble trophy lifted and buried there with special honors the dead. Not buried in the Kerameikos, but in particular common grave, the Tomb of Marathon (in the middle of the battlefield). Pausanias tells us that the Athenians and the Persians buried as befits dead.
Pheidippides or Eucles?
" Nenikikamen ", a historic phrase after a major historical event that gave glory to the generation of Marathon, pride in the Greek and inspired artists who adored antiquity.
A historic phrase uttered by the marathon given in this cistern breath. One of the traditions she wants to be Pheidippides one who brought the good news.But it seems that it was not really him. Pheidippides lived and after the big win - expect established in honor of the "horsegram street" as one of the Olympic events, because he offered to his country great service.
The biggest feat mentioned by Herodotus: " Once mooring Persian ships at Marathon, he was assigned the task to run quickly from Athens to Sparta to ask for the help of the Spartans. covered the distance of 1,140 stage-more than two hundred kilometers - within two days . " Feat was indeed! The Spartathlon, a race from Athens to Sparta, was established in memory of his staff feat, connected with the battle of Marathon.
Still do not know the exact time of his return, not even the start time from Sparta. Even though we arrived early in Athens was certainly not the only way to assign the new task immediately after it was overworked. The angeltirio victory arrived in Athens from a simple soldier marathon runner, one of those who fought and won. That was Eucles.
The Marathon Eucles became marathon and ran 42,195 meters with armor and weapons. The various artistic representations that the dies have to bare legs Athenian archons is wonderful, but inaccurate. That's because the winner and only he has the right and deserves the honor to bear arms.
The battle according to Herodotus
1 03 The Athenian army commanded ten generals, of which last was Miltiades.His father, Cimon, son of Stisagora was banished from Athens by Pisistratus, son of Hippocrates. While in exile, he had the good fortune to win the match with his chariot at Olympia so to distract themselves with glory uterine brother Miltiades. The next Olympic Games, won the prize again with the same horses, but this time he resigned from winning for the sake of Pisistratus; why it's doing, he allowed him to return to Athens. In a subsequent event of the Olympics, won for the third time victory, always with the same horses. Shortly after she died Pisistratus, was murdered by the sons of the tyrant, who sent the night some men of the ambush on the road near prytaneum. Buried outside Athens, on the other side of the street called Hollow Road, opposite the tomb of buried horses with which he had won three times in the Olympics. Triple victory was achieved by a unique team of horses, this Evagoras from Laconia; since then, no one else has succeeded. At that time, the Stisagoras, eldest of two sons, lived in the Peninsula with his uncle Miltiades, while the youngest, who was named Miltiades by the facilitator on the Peninsula, was with his father in Athens.
104. This Miltiades was now one of the ten Athenian generals. He had recently come from the peninsula and twice came close to losing his life. One when he chased the Phoenicians to Imbros, trying to arrest him and take him to the king, and the second, after having escaped from this threat and reached the safety of his home, he found his enemies waiting for him and dragged to the courts for the tyrannical reign of the peninsula. However, escaped, and from;this risk and after his victory, he was elected by the general population.
105. Before leaving the city, the Athenian generals sent a message to Sparta.Messenger was an Athenian named Philippides professional long-distance runner. According to the report given to the Athenians when he returned, he met the god Pan on Mount Parthenio above Tegea. Panas said, called him by his name and told him to ask the Athenians why the ignorant, although he was friendly towards them and, indeed, had seen several times useful in the past and could do and in the future. The Athenians believed the story of Philippides and just their life returned to normal, they built a temple to Pan under the Acropolis, and since I got the message, organize an annual festival, with torch and sacrifices to have the favor of.
106. 0 Philippides therefore undertaken the mission of the generals of Athens and met Pan arrived in Sparta the day after he left Athens and delivered to the rulers of the Spartans message that said: "Men of Sparta, the Athenians ask you to help them and not mere spectators stay the impending crash and enslavement of the oldest city of Greece from a barbarian invader; currently, Eretria has fallen into his hands and Greece is weaker after the loss of a remarkable city. " He said he had taken command to tell. The Spartans, although they wanted to send help to Athens, they could not do it immediately because I violated their laws. It was the ninth day of the month and not have to start fighting before the full moon.
107. So while waiting for the full moon meanwhile Hippias, son of Pisistratus, led them Persessto Marathon. The previous night he dreamed that Hippias was sleeping with his mother and assumed that the dream meant that he would return to Athens, would regain its power and die peacefully at home in his old age. But let the interpretation of his dream. The next day, driving the invaders within the Athenian territories, landed their captives in Eretria Aigilia, an island that was the territory of the city Styra, led the fleet at the port of Marathon and after the army landed ashore, gave instructions on how to paratachtei. In a moment, he began to cough and sneeze louder than usual and since he was old now, and most of the teeth were damaged, one unwittingly spat. Fell somewhere in the sand and looked as though not found it anywhere. Hippias then turned to his companions and said with a deep sigh: "This land is ours and we will never manage to conquer it. The only part of that belongs to me is the space occupied by my tooth. "
108. So finally understood the true meaning of the dream. The Athenian troops were paratachtei a piece of land that was sacred space of Hercules and there they encountered Plataea, who came to support them with all available army.Some time ago, Plataea had surrendered their independence to the Athenians, who had already, in turn, provides valuable services at Plataea in many difficult situations. And that's how it happened. Pressed Plataea by Thebes, and after Cleomenes, son of Anaxandrides, was the region with the Spartan army, Plateans delivered to authority in the hands of the Spartans. They, however, declined the offer, saying: "Resident far and his alliance with us will be black; consolation could enslave you many times before we hear anything. You are advised to approach the Athenians; Athens is much closer to you and the help of people is far from negligible. This advice is not given by goodwill towards Plataea, but had to involve Athens into conflict with the Boeotians.Nevertheless, the Plataeans followed it. They sent an embassy to the Athenians, who happened to be engaged in their sacrifices in honor of the Twelve Gods ambassadors sat beside the altar as suppliants and delivered.When they learned Thebans this action of Plataea, immediately sent troops against them. The Athenians rushed to defend the city were under their protection, but once they were ready to break out the battle, the Corinthians intervened. When accepted, and the two sides to submit their dispute to arbitration by the Corinthians, determined the borders between the two countries, provided that the Thebans would not interfere in the internal affairs of Boeotians who did not want to belong to the State. The Corinthians, as they took this decision, returned to their homeland and the Athenians had begun for their town when they were attacked by the Boeotians. In the ensuing battle, the Athenians defeated and marched across the border they had set for Plateans the Corinthians to impose Asopos as a boundary between the territories of Thebes, on the one hand and Plataea and Ysion other. Under these conditions allowed the people of Plataea in the hands of the Athenians, and this prompted them to rush to help them at Marathon.
109. The views of the Athenian generals were divided: some were against the prospect of a confrontation (with the argument that the Athenian army was too small to cope with the Medes), others - among whom was also argued that Miltiades had to fight. For a while, it seemed that the worst view prevailed and this would have happened if something did Miltiades. Apart from the ten generals, there's another person who had the right to vote, the warlord, chosen by lottery. This maxim (which formerly had the same weight in decisions related to the war by voting generals) had at the time of Callimachus Afidnes. In this, then, Miltiades turned and said: "Now it's up to you, Callimachus, or lead Athens to slavery or to release it and let n future generations a memory more glorious than that of competent and Aristogeiton . Never before in the history of Athens was not confronted with such terrible risk. If you submit ourselves to the Persians, Hippias will take power again and there is no doubt about the misery that will bring us though; fight and win, but then our city will be the most prevalent of all the Greek cities If you ask me how this will be done and why it is in your hands the final decision, I will say this. We generals are ten and we do not agree on how we should act; half are in favor of the battle and the other half against. If you do not collide with the Persians, no doubt for a moment that you arrive in dreadful discord; purpose will falter and eventually submit ourselves to our will to the Persians. But if you fight before seen in general demoralisation us then, if our gods behave fairly, and may prevail.Yours is the decision, all depend on support with thee and the city will be free and sovereign over Greece. If you vote against the battle will not live this happiness but the opposite. "
110. His words found Miltiades goal and with the vote of Callimachus taken the decision to go into battle. The generals have a leading position in the order, for a day each; those among them who symparatachtikan vote with Miltiades, suggested when it came their turn to his surrender. Miltiades accepted, but ordered not to move the army only when the day came that was anyway turn.
111. Then the Athenians paratachtikan for battle. The right wing was under the command of Callimachus, after the Athenians at that time tended to grant warlord in the administration of this wing; followed si various tribes in the usual order, and finally, on the left wing, paratachtikan Plataeans. From the Battle of Marathon and then, when the Athenians make sacrifices every four feasts a preacher of Athens connecting the names of Athens and Plataea in prayer for the favor of the gods. A consequence of the Athenian faction troops for battle was the weakening of the center in an effort to spread enough lines to cover the entire front of the Medes; Both ends were quite strong, while the center had only a few lines deep.
112. After paratachtikan men and preparatory sacrifices promised victory was the slogan and the Athenians began running towards the enemy lines, no less than eight steps away. The Persians, who surprised their enemies approaching running, prepared to confront them with the belief that the Athenians committed suicide daring direct attack, and indeed dromaia raid, with so few forces without the support of cavalry or archers. So they thought; Athenians, however, approached along the front and fought with memorable way. Greeks were the first, as far as I know, who attacked and ran the first saw that without fear of Alfalfa clothing and men who wore; why, until then, no Greek could not stand nor hear the name without Mede feel terror .
113. The battle at Marathon had a great time. In the center, where they had paratachtei themselves Persians and Sakas, the invaders were superior to an extent, indeed, that broke the ranks of the Greeks and pursued the fugitives to the mainland; Athenians, however, from one wing of the Plataeans On the other hand, came out winners. Once defeated, they left their vanquished enemies to retreat and then joining the two ends, turned against the Persians who had penetrated the center. Still managed to prevail, miserably chasing the defeated enemy and slashing his forces until he reached the sea, where they threatened to take over and burn the ships.
114. In this phase of the struggle killed the warlord Callimachus, fighting bravely, like the Stisilaos, Thrasyli son, one of his generals; too, Kynaigeiros, Efforiona son, lost his arm climbing ax from the stern of a ship ultimately his life, along with many other famous Athenians.
115. The Athenians halted seven ships, the rest, however, managed to flee and Persians, they took their captives from Eretria had left in Aigilia, circumnavigated Sounion towards Athens, hoping it would arrive there before the Athenian army. In Athens, the Alkmaeonidae accused suggested that they move to the Persians; said that they had agreed with the Persians and erected a shield as a cue to start while they were already on board.
116. While the Persian fleet sailed to the cape, the Athenians ran the city with the greatest possible speed to defend it and managed to arrive before the enemy. Like the Marathon, the Athenian camp was on holy ground of Hercules, now camped in another sacred place of Hercules in Kynosarges. When he appeared, the Persian fleet, anchored on the outskirts of the Faliro (which, at that time, was the most important port of Athens) and then set sail for Asia.
117. In the battle of Marathon, were killed about six thousand four hundred Persians; losses Athenians one hundred ninety-two So men were killed on both sides.
