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The Persian Wars

The Battle of Marathon - Preparations

Persian army then landed at Marathon. Sparta was still unwilling to fight beyond the borders of the Pelopennese, and Athens stood alone. Present at the battle were the Medes, and their conquerors the Persians.

photo Athenian army took its position in the Valley of Vrana, near the small town of Marathon. It was outnumbered three to one. The army was joined at the last minute by about a thousand Plataeans, but that was the only ally that stood with Athens.

The Athenian army was led not by a single general but by a board of ten generals, and command rotated among them daily. This was so no one general could become a war hero and thereby become a demagogue. The most respected of these was a man named Miltiades, and all the generals agreed he should lead them into battle the next day. It wasn't his turn, however. So one by one each general stepped up and formally laid down his command so the next in line could take it, until finally it was Miltiades' turn.