Sage-Tips

Why were the Greek hoplites ordered to run up to the Persians?

The flat battlefield surrounded by hills and sea was ideal for the Persian cavalry. Miltiades ordered the Greek hoplites to form a line equal in length to that of the Persians. Then – in an act that his enemy believed to be complete madness – he ordered his Greek warriors to attack the Persian line at a dead run.

What advantage did the Athenians have over their Persian enemies at the Battle of Marathon?

The Greeks held an advantage at Marathon in the equipment of their infantry. An Athenian hoplite carried a heavy, 9-foot spear, wore a solid breastplate and carried an almost body-length shield. The Persian infantryman, in contrast, wore little more than robes and carried a shorter sword and a wicker or cane shield.

How do the Athenians defeat the Persian at Marathon?

In the ensuing battle, Miltiades led his contingent of 10,000 Athenians and 1,000 Plataeans to victory over the Persian force of 15,000 by reinforcing his battle line’s flanks and thus decoying the Persians’ best troops into pushing back his centre, where they were surrounded by the inward-wheeling Greek wings.

How far away from Athens was the Battle of Marathon fought?

26 miles
The Cause of the Battle of Marathon The first encounter on the Greek mainland between East (Persia) and West (Greece) took place in August or September of 490 B.C., on the small seaside plain of Marathon, 26 miles northeast of Athens.

How did the Athenians decide which side to take in the Persian War?

How did the Athenians decide which side to take in the Persian Wars? The Greeks use a new tactic-the phalanx. What does that involve and what advantages does it give? -They fought very closely together, they fought in a coordinated team.

How many hoplites did Athens have?

Citizens were precious. We know that Athens, for example, was able to put eight thousand men into the field for Plataia in 479 (Hdt., IX, 28), with perhaps one thousand more at Marathon in 490, but she still had only thirteen thousand hoplites in 431 (Thuc, II, 13).

How many hoplites did the Athenians muster at Marathon to face the Persian army How many men did the Persians have?

The Athenians chose the plain near a town named Marathon to engage the Persians because that was near where the Persians would come to shore, and it was sacred to the Greek demi-god Hercules. The Athenians could muster about 10,000 hoplites and were augmented by 1,000 men from their Greek allies in Plataea.

What is the distance of marathon run?

26.2 miles
The random boost in mileage ending up sticking, and in 1921 the length for a marathon was formally standardized at 26.2 miles (42.195 kilometers).

How did the Athenians decide which side?

Why did some Athenians criticize democracy and argue in favor of an oligarchy?

Why did some Athenians criticize democracy and argue in favor of an oligarchy? They worried that the poor, who lacked proper education and moral values, would exploit majority rule to pass laws against the wealthy. illustrating conflicts and moral dilemmas that pertained to the society of citizens in a city-state.

Did Athens have hoplites?

Athenian hoplites were essential in obtaining a Greek victory over the Persians during the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. The Greek army, led by the Athenian Polemarch (military commander) Kallimachos or Miltiades fielded about 9,000 hoplites.

What was an Athenian hoplite?

hoplite, heavily armed ancient Greek foot soldier whose function was to fight in close formation. Until his appearance, probably in the late 8th century bce, individual combat predominated in warfare.

How many hoplites helped the Athenians win the marathon?

The Athenians would have to hold out at Marathon for the time being, although they were reinforced by the full muster of 1,000 hoplites from the small city of Plataea; a gesture which did much to steady the nerves of the Athenians, and won unending Athenian gratitude to Plataea.

What happened at the Battle of Marathon in ancient Greece?

Battle of Marathon. The Athenians and their allies chose a location for the battle, with marshes and mountainous terrain, that prevented the Persian cavalry from joining the Persian infantry. Miltiades, the Athenian general, ordered a general attack against the Persian forces, composed primarily of missile troops.

What happened at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC?

The Battle of Marathon (Greek: Μάχη τοῦ Μαραθῶνος, Machē tou Marathōnos) took place in 490 BC, during the first Persian invasion of Greece.

What is the difference between a Spartan and Athenian hoplite?

Unlike the warriors composing Sparta’s standing, professional army, Athenian hoplites were true soldier-citizens. They were middle-and upper-class men able to afford the armor and weaponry necessary for battle. A hoplite’s equipment was not provided for him by the city-state; he was expected to commission and finance his own.