Marathon

August [?], 490 BC

Strategic Context
After the failures of an expedition in 492 BC and diplomacy the following year, Darius of
Persia invades Greece in 490 BC. A Persian rearguard encamps on the plain of

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Marathon while the main force threatens Athens by sea. Former Athenian tyrant, Hippias,
accompanies the Persians in the hopes of provoking political upheaval in Athens. Most
of Greece is intimidated into inaction while even the Spartans do not fight due to a
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religious festival; only tiny Plataea comes to Athens’ defence. The Athenians must
secure a quick victory before Athenian politics betray their cause.

Stakes
+ A Persian victory would result in the
No Image capture of Athens and the subsequent
collapse of the rest of northern Greece.
Available + An Athenian victory would allow them to
march to Athens’ defence and repel the
Persian invasion.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 Marathon, 490 BC
Strength

 Persians  Athenians & Plataeans

 Datis 
Militiades
  11,000 hoplites
19,000 infantry
 1,000 cavalry

 Well  Well

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

Persian Empire c. 490 BC
The battlefield is extremely restricted with rivers hemming in the two sides on the northwestern and northeastern sides and
the Bay of Marathon to the southeast. The actual battlefield is relatively flat with elevated ground to the southwest and
northwest. The lowest ground is the marshland in the southern corner of the battlefield.
Athenians & Plateans 0 0.5 1 km
(Miltiades)
N

Plain of Marathon

Bay of Marathon
Persians
(Datis)
Miltiades
Not deploys sprint
The surprisingly,
Athenians histhe
army in a long,
greater
towards thinPersians,
weight
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thewings
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wings to prevent
edging the Persian
push back
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of the frominrounding
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the lightly order tohisnegate
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theplaces
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Persian
while weight
Datis’ on his
advantage of wings
Immortals havingat
push
the expense of his center. Miltiades plans to rush the Persian line with his heavy hoplites before Persian missiles can take their toll. Datis distributes his troops
significant
back the thinly
numbers
manned of missile
Athenian throwers.
center. Meanwhile,
The Persianthe missile
Persian
throwers
cavalryunderestimate
is only now ready the fitness
to partakeof the
in the
hoplites
battle.and the speed of their
evenly but places his elite infantry, the Immortals, at his center. The Persian cavalry is just returning from a foraging assignment and is not yet ready for battle.
advance as most of their missiles land harmlessly behind the Athenians.
Datis’ troops are more lightly armoured than the Athenians, and rely on missiles to defeat the enemy.
Athenians & Plateans 0 0.5 1 km
(Miltiades)
Symbol guide N

Athenians &The
Plataeans
Immortals arePersians
Persia’s most elite unit
Hoplites which double as an imperial guard and
Infantry
conventional land force. Their numerical
Cavalry
strength is always supplemented to 10,000,
dead or wounded
Transport being replaced immediately.
ships
This is done to preserve the cohesion and
mystique of the unit.

Persians
Athenians(Datis)
& Plataeans
19,000 (Miltiades)
infantry The Immortals

Persians
1,000
11,000cavalry
hoplites (Datis)
The surprisingly,
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on
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suffer
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and
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and begin
but this
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allow
its flanks.
Datis to organize a rearguard.
Athenians & Plateans 0 0.5 1 km
(Miltiades)
Symbol guide N

AtheniansThe Immortals are Persia’s

& Plataeans Persians most elite unit
which double as an imperial guard and
Hoplites conventionalInfantry
land force. Their numerical
strengthCavalry
is always supplemented to 10,000,
dead or wounded being replaced immediately.
Transport
This is done ships
to preserve the cohesion and
mystique of the unit.

Persians
Athenians(Datis)
& Plataeans
19,000 (Miltiades)
infantry The Immortals

Persians
1,000
11,000cavalry
hoplites (Datis)
 Marathon, 490 BC
Casualties & Aftermath
Persians: Athenians & Plateans:

6,400 >200
or or
32% 2%

The Athenians had little time to celebrate their victory as Athens itself was still
undefended. The hoplites arrived in Athens before the Persian fleet, which then
saw the triumphant army, hesitated, and sailed away, effectively ending the
Persian expedition. It would only be another decade before a Persian force
invaded Greece again.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009

 The Art of Battle:
Animated Battle Maps
http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009