why did the battle of marathon happen

why did the battle of marathon happen

These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The answer lies in part with the failure of the first Greco-Persian war, a decade earlier, which ended in the Persian defeat at the Battle of Marathon (now famous for the race that bears its name). The Spartans assured him that they were eager to help, but they were in the middle of their festival of Carneia, a fertility celebration associated with the god Apollo; a period during which they observed a strict peace. The battle would take on mythical status amongst the Greeks, Darius I, king of Persia whod likely set his sights on Greece as far back as 513 B.C. Though, this seems unlikely, given the distance between them. Darius sent an army of around 25,000 or 30,000 soldiers to punish the Athenians and take control of Greece. It states that as dawn broke on the sixth day, the Greeks gazed across the plain of Marathon to see that the Persian cavalry forces had suddenly disappeared, right from under their noses. The Romans also adopted many Greek ideas and further spread them as they conquered their own vast territories. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. Darius the Great Accomplishments: Lesson for Kids, Mycenae Civilization & Culture | Facts About Mycenaean Greece, Athens vs. Sparta | Life Differences Between Athens & Sparta. Conceived as a purely maritime enterprise, Darius assigned command of the expedition to the Median admiral Datis and the son of the satrap of Sardis, Artaphernes. Hickman, Kennedy. When news of the invading force reached Greece, the initial Greek reaction was to send a force of 10,000 hoplites to hold position at the valley of Temp near Mt. The Battle of Marathon: The Greco-Persian Wars Escalate Battle of Marathon: Summary, Facts & Map - Study.com In addition to the land forces, the Greek poleis sent a fleet of trireme warships which held position off the coast of Artemision (or Artemisium) on the northern coast of Euboea, 40 nautical miles from Thermopylae. Those who could afford to do so would wear full bronze armor. WebMarathon soon became an almost mythical event. 2. Some sources also indicate that Militiades had learned from Persian deserters that the cavalry was away from the field. Mound (soros) in which the Athenian dead were buried after the Battle of Marathon. 10 generals at the head of 10,000 soldiers set out for Marathon, tight-lipped and fearful, but ready to fight to the last man if necessary. But he took no time to mourn. Having trained dedicatedly for most of his life, he was able to travel long distances over difficult terrain, and at that moment, he was invaluable. Peloponnesian War & Thucydides | What was the Peloponnesian War? The Battle of Marathon - National Geographic The Greeks had long been terrified of the Persian army, and even without the cavalry, their enemy still heavily outnumbered them. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Why was the Battle of Marathon important? 1 What happened to Athens after the Battle of Marathon? Herodotus writes that the Greeks ran the full distance to the Persian army. Leonidas moved his troops to the widest part of the pass to utilise all of his men at once, and in the ensuing clash the Spartan king was killed. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Battle of Marathon in the Persian Wars - ThoughtCo

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why did the battle of marathon happen