why did the battle of marathon happen

The modern marathon race is named for this incorrect telling of events. At that time, the Ionian Greeks were subject to the Persian King Darius I. Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. In 2005, outside of the normal competition, he decided to fully retrace the steps of Pheidippides and ran from Athens to Sparta and then back to Athens. In 490 BCE, they were stopped in their tracks largely by the efforts of a single Greek city, Athens. Darius the Great Overview & Quotes | Who was King Darius? Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. Why was the Battle of Marathon fought in Greece? The distance between the Greeks and the Persians was around one mile, mostly open plains. AP World History - Ancient Greece: Tutoring Solution, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses. Aside from ushering in an era of hoplite warfare, it also ensured that Greek ideas would be able to flourish and spread. This is why a full marathon race is 26.2 miles. Thermopylae was an excellent choice for defence with mountains running down into the sea leaving only a narrow pass along the coast. Following Greek support for an uprising in Ionia (a coastal area in modern-day western Turkey), Darius I, emperor of the Persian Empire dispatched forces west to inflict retribution on those Greek city-states that had aided the rebels. Few dared to refuse, but the Athenians promptly threw those messengers into a pit to die, as did the Spartans, who added a curt, Go dig it out yourselves, in response. The mens last two Whatever the case, the Persian horses played no significant role in the coming battle. Datis chose to land his army at the Bay of Marathon, a largely sound military decision, as the natural promontory provided excellent shelter for his ships, and the plains onshore offered good movement for his cavalry. The relatively small size of the defending force has been explained as a reluctance by some Greek city-states to commit troops so far north, and/or due to religious motives, for it was the period of the sacred games at Olympia and the most important Spartan religious festival, the Karneia, and no fighting was permitted during these events. And, showing up a little late only a few days after the Athenians victory 2,000 Spartan soldiers arrived, having marched immediately upon the conclusion of their festival and moving their entire army over the 220 kilometers in only three days. Persian Emperors List & Timeline | Cyrus, Cambyses II & Darius, SAT Subject Test World History: Practice and Study Guide, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Test Prep & Practice, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Help and Review, NY Regents Exam - Global History and Geography: Tutoring Solution, UExcel World Conflicts Since 1900: Study Guide & Test Prep, Prentice Hall World History Connections to Today Volume 1: Online Textbook Help, McDougal Littell Modern World History - Patterns of Interaction: Online Textbook Help, Holt World History - Human Legacy: Online Textbook Help, Harcourt Social Studies - World History: Online Textbook Help, Anne Frank - The Diary of a Young Girl Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today.

Assetto Corsa Pocono Raceway, City Of Greater Bendigo Shipping Container, Who Replaces Kutner In House, Articles W