Battle of Marathon 490 BC

The Persians had been expanding their empire at a fast pace. They had forced the Greek cities on the coast of Asia into submission and when the Greeks revolted the Persians conquered them by force of arms and went even further, conquering Thrace and subjugating Macedonia, defeating anyone who had dared to resist. Two Greek city states, Athens and Eretria had been active against the Persians at this time and the Persian king now sought revenge. He amassed a fleet of 600 triremes and sent it into Greece under the command of an admiral named Datis and a nobleman who had contacts in Athens, named Artaphernes.

The Persians’ first target were the Cyclades islands and particularly Naxos that had resisted Persian rule. They sacked Naxos and took its citizens into slavery. Next, the Persians forced Karystos into submission and attacked Eretria. Eretria was sacked and its citizens were also taken into slavery. The third target of the Persian campaign was Athens. The Persian fleet sailed to Marathon and the Persian army disembarked and encamped on the bay. The Athenians prepared for battle. They thought they were fighting for their homes. Later they thought they had fought for all Greece. Perhaps they had fought for something even bigger.

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