The Battle of the Marathon Plain

Vastly Outnumbered, Greek Hoplites Defeated the Persians

May 18, 2009

The Battle of Marathon highlighted the superiority of the phalanx that had evolved out of geographical considerations as well as a smaller population base.

The Battle of the Marathon Plain in 490 BC was a contest between East and West, a demonstration of the superiority of the hoplite phalanx against the Mesopotamian battle formations. The battle characterized the unique nature of Greek city-states, contrasted with the geography of Persia which necessitated vastly different military strategies and engagements. The smaller Greek army, comprised of freemen or citizen-soldiers, created a mighty legend for future writers and state leaders.

The Ionian rebellion against Persian rule began among Greek city-states along the Aegean coast of Asia Minor. Led by Aristagoras, the tyrant of Miletus, these transplanted Greeks reacted to increased Persian taxation and the heavy-handedness of newly appointed Persian officials.

Although unsuccessful in securing support from Sparta, the preeminent military city-state in Greece, Aristagoras encountered a warmer reception in Athens. Obtaining Athenian assistance, as well as the aid of Eretria, the revolt began, resulting in defeat for the Greeks.

A small Athenian fleet was destroyed even as the Persian King Darius ended the rebellion, destroying Miletus. The men of the city were either killed or relocated and the women and children sent to Persia as slaves. During the revolt, however, the provincial capital Sardis was burned. Revenge for this act played a major role in the Persian invasion of Greece in 490, although it is unclear who actually set the fire.

Athenians like the Archon Themistocles had the foresight to anticipate a Persian response. Themistocles ordered the fortification of Piraeus, the harbor supplying Athens with food and resources. Once the Persians landed, an Athenian runner was sent to Sparta requesting assistance. Because of religious commitments, however, the Spartans had to delay sending men, arriving after the battle had ended.

Having destroyed Eretria, the Persians moved south into the Marathon Plain. Athenian hoplites, augmented by Plataeans, waited on the slopes overlooking the plain. The Greeks, with 11,000 men, were out numbered 2-1. Most of the battle figures come from Herodotus, but historians generally accept them with slight modifications.

Led by Miltiades, the Athenians had no other allies. This is a testament to the disunity among the Greek city-states, separated by hills and each one following different paths of political and social development. Geography had as much to do with the inability to unify under one command as did the fierce independence of the various communities.

As the hoplites advanced toward the Persians, their center formation was intentionally weak. Miltiades concentrated greater strength along his left and right flanks, pursuing an envelopment strategy. Once the enemy wings had been routed, the hoplites closed ranks to attack the Persian center.

Lacking cavalry or light infantry, the hoplites had better armor and longer spears. Their tight formations easily overwhelmed the Persians. When the battle ended, 6,400 Persians lay dead while the Greeks lost 192. Military historian Lynn Montross refers to the battle as “a saga and a legend.”

Aftermath of the First Persian Invasion

Persian defeat at Marathon was only the first phase of the Persian wars. The Persian king Xerxes decided in 484 BC to construct a massive fleet in order to conquer Greece. This time, the city-states pulled together, creating the Hellenic League in defense of their homeland.

The various battles between the Persians and the Greeks highlighted different military traditions that had evolved, in part, because of terrain. The flat lands of Mesopotamia necessitated a different kind of battle formation than the rugged, hilly Greek landscape. Both adapted to their environments but the Persians could not break free of their tactics in different terrain. This weakness was successfully exploited by the Greeks.

The copyright of the article The Battle of the Marathon Plain in Greek History is owned by Michael Streich. Permission to republish The Battle of the Marathon Plain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.