Download Click www.ondix.com to visit our student-to

Click www.ondix.com to visit our student-to-student file sharing network.
In 490 B.C.E. the Battle of Marathon was a brief but important event in the war between
the Greek city-states and The Persian Empire. The results of the battle had unforeseen
effects on Athens and the future of Western Civilization. The Greek 'Golden Age',
centred in Athens, brought about new forms of art, the foundations of future philosophy
and redirected literature and drama. The achievements of the Athenians during this period
were directly connected to the inspiration and prestige (which later translated into power)
fuelled by the events at Marathon. How the events of a single day changed the entire
course of Western Civilization is hard to fathom but obvious when one looks at the
aftermath of that fateful event.
The revolts of a few Greek cities of Ionia were what initially sparked the Persians interest
in Athens, Attica and the Peloponnese. When Athens sent a small fleet in support of the
Ionian rebels they immediately gave Persia a new target for further expansion. The
failure of the revolts and the ruin of Sardis and Miletus shocked the Greek world. The
Persians now thought, "if Miletus had been the glory of subject Greece, Athens was the
golden gate to free Hellas. A bauble, perhaps, beside the treasures of the empire, but a
tempting one." Now not only did the Persian king Darius want revenge against the
Athenians he wanted the entire Greek world to be integrated into the Persian Empire.
In 490 BCE Darius finally advanced towards Greece. After the capture of Eretria,
confident of their success, the Persians sailed on to Attica; and under the advice of
Hippas* landed at the bay of Marathon, 26 km north east of Athens. When the Athenians
received news of the Persians landing, they sent a runner (Philippides) to Sparta asking
for support. They knew support would not get to them before the Persians decided to
move so the Athenians then made "one of the most fateful decisions ever taken by a
democratic government in ancient Greece. It was to advance and engage the Persians at
their point of invasion, rather that to sit tight and try to hold the city." . This decision was
a radical one for a few reasons: the Athenians were highly outnumbered and historically,
according to the historian Herodotus, the Greeks had never stood their ground against a
Persian attack. Every major battle during the six years of the Ionian revolt demonstrated
that the Greeks preferred to defend their cities rather that fight out in the open. For these
reasons the Persians were justifiably optimistic about their ability to defeat the Greeks.
Upon the Athenian arrival at their base camp, away from the bay, they were joined by
troops from the Athenian ally Plataia (about one thousand). There were 10,000 men in
the Athenian army; a general represented each 1000. The ten generals of the army
debated over a course of action, either to stay and meet the Persians as they advance or to
attack them and try to take them by surprise. Miltiades* overcame the deadlock by
appealing to the Polemarch Kallimachos who had an equal vote on the board of generals
and convinced him to attack. Miltiades waited until the day of his prytaneia*, the day
which he had supreme control over the entire army, to attack the Persians at their base
camp. The Persians were taken by surprise and being unprepared, retreated back to their
ships. While the Persians fled to their ships a point when only a narrow passage of beach
separated the sea from a marsh was passed, it was here that around six thousand men
from both sides were killed, the overwhelming number were Persians. Herodotus
reported the casualties of the Greeks amounted to 192 Athenians, and an unrecorded
number of Plataeans and slaves, the Persians lost 6400 men in total. The Greeks pursued
in an attempt to capture the Persians ships but all but seven escaped. The Persians
changed their course of action and sailed around to attack the now undefended city of
Athens from the sea. The Athenian army was force to march the 26 km back to Athens in
haste to defend the city. They reached the city and the Persian fleet seeing the defenders
had returned, did not land but turned and headed back to Asia.
The victory at Marathon and the successful defence of the city, gave the Athenians a
sense of moral superiority and pride. In later battles of the Persian War, at Thermopylai
and Salamis, the highly regarded Spartans and those of the Peloponnese were largely in
control of strategic moves. Although still a major force in every battle, Athens and her
allies were outnumbered and thus followed Spartan command. After the second
occupation of Athens after the battle of Salamis, the Athenians gave Sparta an ultimatum
due to a lack of Spartan support. "If the Peloponnesians wanted Athens' navy, they must
save Athens' land." Because the Athenians had more damage to recover from it brought
stronger confidence and overall pride for them once the city got back on its feet. The
Spartans, Corinthians and other Peloponnesian allies now had reason to fear Athens
growing naval power and its capabilities now that the city was repaired and invigorated
with a renewed sense of pride. This is the point that we see the beginnings of a shift in the
balance of power and influence between the city-states. When the Ionian states adopted
the Athenians as leaders, as opposed to the Spartans who had been pre-eminent for a long
time, the rise of the Athenian influence began to show. For the purpose of protecting all
Greeks from a further Persian attack, a league was formed, of which Athens was now the
leader. The league included all Aegean states in the interest of their common welfare, and
was called The Delian League. At first it was as a leader that Athens lead the allies, who
sent members to a general congress, in discussions of further campaigns against the
Persians. But that would all change when other city-states adopted the Athenian form of
government, democracy, either by force or voluntarily.
Inevitably Athens became the leader of what was now an Athenian Empire. When
Athens imposed their "superior" form of government onto other city-states it was no
longer a league of self-governing city-states but a league ruled by one. The league, which
was formed for the purpose of protection, now became the means for Athens to spread
democracy. The Athenian Empire gave Athens a feeling of superiority; it felt that she
had the superior form of government, superior ideals, culture and economic practices;
that sense of superiority all traced back to the victory at Marathon.
"Suppose, then, that we had never done anything but fight at Marathon - in point of fact
we have done much besides: more than any other people of Greece - but just suppose;
then Marathon alone would be enough to qualify us not only for the privilege we are
claiming but for others too; for in that fight we stood alone against Persia - we dared a
mighty enterprise and came out alive - we defended forty-six nations. Do we not, for this
act alone, deserve the place of honour..."
From the Athenian Empire and its attitude came many great things that had an
unquestionable effect on the future of western civilization. Pericles, a famous name in
Athenian politics, is a direct result of the Athenian Empire and all its ideals and attitudes.
Pericles took advantage of Athens position of power and used money from the Delian
League to fund the construction of major pieces of architecture in the city. Without
Pericles there would be no Parthenon or Propylea, and Athens might now have gained the
prestige it had during its Golden Age. Athens golden age was a direct result of the wealth
and prestige of empire; without it Athens may not have reached the point where it
became the educational and cultural centre of the Greek world. From this centre came
great thinkers and playwrights; western civilization gained philosophy, Greek drama and
literature, science and democracy.
The Battle of Marathon, although only a single event, had an unquestionable impact on
western civilization. Marathon allowed Athens to raise itself to a position of prestige and
importance in the Greek world. The Athenians were given the opportunity to become
culturally, politically and economically the centre of the Greek world because of the
result of the battle of Marathon. Without the Athenians daring strategic move western
civilization as we know it today would not be the same.
Keywords:
battle marathon brief important event between greek city states persian empire results
battle unforeseen effects athens future western civilization greek golden centred athens
brought about forms foundations future philosophy redirected literature drama
achievements athenians during this period were directly connected inspiration prestige
which later translated into power fuelled events marathon events single changed entire
course western civilization hard fathom obvious when looks aftermath that fateful event
revolts greek cities ionia were what initially sparked persians interest athens attica
peloponnese when sent small fleet support ionian rebels they immediately gave persia
target further expansion failure revolts ruin sardis miletus shocked world persians thought
miletus been glory subject greece golden gate free hellas bauble perhaps beside treasures
empire tempting only persian king darius want revenge against athenians wanted entire
world integrated into persian empire darius finally advanced towards greece after capture
eretria confident their success persians sailed attica under advice hippas landed marathon
north east when athenians received news landing they sent runner philippides sparta
asking support they knew support would them before decided move then made most
fateful decisions ever taken democratic government ancient greece advance engage their
point invasion rather that tight hold city this decision radical reasons were highly
outnumbered historically according historian herodotus greeks never stood their ground
against attack every major battle during years ionian revolt demonstrated that greeks
preferred defend cities rather fight open these reasons justifiably optimistic about ability
defeat greeks upon athenian arrival base camp away from joined troops from athenian
ally plataia about thousand there athenian army general represented each generals army
debated over course action either stay meet advance attack them take them surprise
miltiades overcame deadlock appealing polemarch kallimachos equal vote board generals
convinced attack miltiades waited until prytaneia which supreme control over entire army
base camp taken surprise being unprepared retreated back ships while fled ships point
only narrow passage beach separated from marsh passed here around thousand both sides
killed overwhelming number herodotus reported casualties amounted unrecorded number
plataeans slaves lost total pursued attempt capture ships seven escaped changed course
action sailed around undefended city force march back haste defend reached fleet seeing
defenders returned land turned headed back asia victory successful defence gave sense
moral superiority pride later battles thermopylai salamis highly regarded spartans those
peloponnese largely control strategic moves although still major force every allies
outnumbered thus followed spartan command after second occupation after salamis gave
sparta ultimatum lack spartan peloponnesians wanted navy must save land because more
damage recover brought stronger confidence overall pride once feet spartans corinthians
other peloponnesian allies reason fear growing naval power capabilities repaired
invigorated with renewed sense pride this point beginnings shift balance power influence
between states ionian states adopted leaders opposed spartans been eminent long time rise
influence began show purpose protecting further league formed which leader league
included aegean interest common welfare called delian league first leader lead allies sent
members general congress discussions further campaigns against would change other
adopted form government democracy either force voluntarily inevitably became leader
what imposed superior form government onto other longer self governing ruled formed
purpose protection became means spread democracy feeling superiority felt superior form
superior ideals culture economic practices sense superiority traced victory suppose then
never done anything fight fact have done much besides more than people just suppose
then alone would enough qualify only privilege claiming others fight stood alone persia
dared mighty enterprise came alive defended forty nations alone deserve place honour
attitude came many great things unquestionable effect future western civilization pericles
famous name politics direct result ideals attitudes pericles took advantage position used
money delian fund construction major pieces architecture without pericles there
parthenon propylea might have gained prestige during golden direct result wealth prestige
without have reached where became educational cultural centre world centre came great
thinkers playwrights gained philosophy drama literature science democracy although
single event unquestionable impact allowed raise itself position importance given
opportunity become culturally politically economically centre because result without
daring strategic move know today same
Keywords General:
Essay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, term papers, book reports, study,
college, thesis, dessertation, test answers, free research, book research, study help,
download essay, download term papers