The Battle of Marathon

The Battle of Marathon was a battle between Greece and Persia and was a long time ago in 491-490 B.C.E. The battle was located in Marathon, Greece.

The Athenians asked the Spartans for help against the Persians but they refused to help them. The Persians sent a huge Navy to fight them.

Hoplites were Greek soldiers who perfected a battle formation called Phalanx. The Persians had no experience fighting this and it was very effective.

The Athenians thought they had won the battle when they saw the Persians retreating they thought they had won the battle but they realized they were heading for Athens.

When they figured this out they sent a runner named Pheidippides who had been delivering information throughout the battle. He had to run 26 miles through the mountains to make it to Athens.

Pheidippides had to make it back before the ruler of Athens surrendered to the Persians. While the Rulers were meeting Pheidippides showed up and told the ruler not to surrender because Athens had won the battle and the army was heading back to fight the Persians.

That is how the Athenians won the battle of Marathon.

The End