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Battle of Marathon

Battle of Marathon

Overview

The Battle of Marathon (490 BCE) was a decisive Greek victory over the Persian Empire during the first Persian invasion of Greece. It demonstrated that the Persians could be defeated and became a symbol of Greek resistance.

Key Facts

  • Date: September 490 BCE
  • Location: Plain of Marathon, ~40 km northeast of Athens
  • Belligerents: Athens and Plataea vs. Persian Empire
  • Commanders: Miltiades (Athens), Datis and Artaphernes (Persia)
  • Result: Decisive Greek victory 1

The Battle

  • ~10,000 Athenians and ~1,000 Plataeans vs. ~25,000 Persians (estimates vary)
  • Miltiades strengthened the flanks at the expense of the center
  • Greek wings enveloped the Persian center in a double envelopment
  • Persian losses: ~6,400; Greek losses: ~192

Legacy

  • Pheidippides' legendary run from Marathon to Athens (~40 km) inspired the modern marathon race 2
  • Athenian burial mound (soros) still visible at Marathon
  • Boosted Athenian confidence and democratic identity


Review Queue

  • @q[temporal] Line 10: "Date: September 490 BCE" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. September 490 BCE. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 11: "Location: Plain of Marathon, ~40 km northeast of Athens" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 12: "Belligerents: Athens and Plataea vs. Persian Empire" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 13: "Commanders: Miltiades (Athens), Datis and Artaphernes (Persia)" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 14: "Result: Decisive Greek victory 1 " - when was this true?

Static historical fact. September 490 BCE. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 17: "~10,000 Athenians and ~1,000 Plataeans vs. ~25,000 Persians (estimates vary)" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 18: "Miltiades strengthened the flanks at the expense of the center" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 19: "Greek wings enveloped the Persian center in a double envelopment" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 20: "Persian losses: ~6,400; Greek losses: ~192" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 23: "Pheidippides' legendary run from Marathon to Athens (~40 km) inspired the mod..." - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 24: "Athenian burial mound (soros) still visible at Marathon" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[temporal] Line 25: "Boosted Athenian confidence and democratic identity" - when was this true?

Static historical fact. No temporal tag needed.

  • @q[missing] Line 10: "Date: September 490 BCE" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 11: "Location: Plain of Marathon, ~40 km northeast of Athens" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 12: "Belligerents: Athens and Plataea vs. Persian Empire" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 13: "Commanders: Miltiades (Athens), Datis and Artaphernes (Persia)" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 17: "~10,000 Athenians and ~1,000 Plataeans vs. ~25,000 Persians (estimates vary)" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 18: "Miltiades strengthened the flanks at the expense of the center" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 19: "Greek wings enveloped the Persian center in a double envelopment" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 20: "Persian losses: ~6,400; Greek losses: ~192" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 24: "Athenian burial mound (soros) still visible at Marathon" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[missing] Line 25: "Boosted Athenian confidence and democratic identity" - what is the source?

Herodotus Histories 6.102-117 1 and Krentz (2010) 2 .

  • @q[stale] Line 23: "Pheidippides' legendary run from Marathon to Athens (~40 km) inspired the mod..." - Krentz source from 2010 may be outdated, is this still accurate?

Still accurate. Krentz (2010) remains a standard reference. The underlying historical facts are well-established.


  1. Herodotus, Histories 6.102117 ↩︎

  2. Krentz, P. The Battle of Marathon (Yale, 2010) ↩︎