The Battle Of Marathon

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The Battle Of Marathon
Athenians
Persians
VS
1st Platoon
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Overview

• Timeline (GySgt Lamar)
• Operational Context (GySgt Dueweke)
• Organization (GySgt Cortez)
• Significant Leaders (GySgt Hendrix)
• Weapons Employment (GySgt Hignite)
• Effects of Terrain/Climate (GySgt Brown)

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Overview

• Effects of Logistics (GySgt Avina)
• Significant Events
  Historical Ramifications (GySgt Gonzales)
• Relation to Marine Corps Doctrine (GySgt Nunez)
• Lessons Learned (GySgt Sanchez)

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The Battle of Marathon

• Overview
• Timeline

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Time Line

• 490 B.C.
• July Persian Empire sends an amphibious force to
  conquer Greece
• Athens deploys 10,000 troops to block Persian
  advance towards Athens
• Aug 12
• Ten day standoff
• Athenians deploy across the field of Marathon

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Time Line

• 490 B.C.
• Athenians sprint towards Persian lines
• Negated Archers
• Athenian wings enveloped Persian line
• Persian line panics and retreats
• Remaining Persians escape to the sea

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The Battle of Marathon

• Timeline
• Operational

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Operational

• 6th Century B.C. Greek colonists settle Ionia
• Ionians staged unsuccessful revolt
• Brings Mainland Greece into focus of Persians
• Persians sent messengers demanding submission

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Operational

• Many Greek states accepted offer with exception
  of Athens and Sparta
• Both armies waited for other to attack to retain
  tactical advantage

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The Battle of Marathon

• Operational
• Organization

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Organization

• Athenian Force
• Strength
• Experience Training
• Persian Force
• Strength
• Experience Training

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Organization

• Athenian Armament
• Weapons
• Armor
• Persian Armament
• Weapons
• Armor

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Organization

• Athenian Doctrine
• Persian Doctrine

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The Battle of Marathon

• Organization
• Significant Leaders

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Miltiades

• Personal Information
• 549-488 BC
• Chief Magistrate / Member of High Court
• Inherited Rule of Chersonese

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Miltiades

• Cont.
• Served Under King Darius I of Persia in campaigns
  against Scythians
• Returned to Athens after Ionian revolt failed
• Elected one of ten Generals

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Miltiades

• Influence on the Battle
• Political
• Proposed Athenians meet Persians without Spartan
  reinforcements
• Convinced Callimachus in tie breaking vote

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Miltiades

• Cont.
• Strategic
• Based on knowledge of Persian Tactics
• Weak Center / Double Envelopment

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Callimachus

• Personal Information
• Born in Aphindre (date unknown)
• Polemarch
• Died in Battle of Marathon

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Callimachus

• Influence on the Battle
• Political
• Equal say in military matters
• Broke stalemate by casting deciding vote to meet
  Persians
• Tactical
• Commanded the right wing that enveloped the
  Persians

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Artaphernes

• Background
• Persian prince
• Brother to King Darius I
• General of the Achaemenid Persian Empire
• Governor of Sardis, capitol of Lydia
• Landed at Naxos, Eretria

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Artaphernes

• Role at Marathon
• Cavalry
• Overconfident/ Lack of Preparation
• No backup plan/ adherence to doctrine
• No retrograde/ withdraw plan

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Datis

• Background
• Median Admiral
• Siege at Lindos failed
• Siege at Naxos and Eretria
• Sailed to Bay of Marathon

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Datis

• Role at Marathon
• Largely unknown, likely 2nd in command
• Arrived at Marathon first
• Overconfident
• Lack of defensive preparation

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The Battle of Marathon

• Significant Leaders
• Weapons Employment

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Weapons Employment

• Influence on the Commander
• Main Weapon - Long heavy spear
• Heavy Armament - Heavy Shields, Helmets, Breast
  Plates
• Lack of mobility No Calvary

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Weapons Employment

• Cont.
• Limited stand off distance No Firepower No
  Archers
• Excellent at close combat
• Militiades used speed as a weapon
• Center of Gravity Close combat
• Used a strike stab technique

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Weapons Employment

• Influence on The Battlefield
• Athenians lack of stand off distance shaped the
  battlefield
• Vast battlefield favored the Persians
• Weapons required them to be close
• Speed was their most valuable weapon

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Weapons Employment

• Influence on The Commander
• Overwhelming firepower
• Troops
• Calvary
• Archers
• Overconfident

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Weapons Employment

• Influence on The Battlefield
• Archers increased stand off
• Calvary not used
• Spears lightly made
• Swords could not penetrate Athenian armor

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The Battle of Marathon

• Weapons Employment
• Effects of Terrain
  Climate

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Terrain
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Effects of Terrain/Climate

• Greece Tropical 70-75
• Bay, Plains, Rocky Cliffs Mountains
• Persians
• What is now known as Turkey
• Average Temp 50-60
• Two Key Pieces of terrain
• Marsh
• Rocky Cliffs and mountains

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The Battle of Marathon
Effects of Terrain
Climate Effects of Logistics
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Effects of Logistics

• Athenian Army 10,000 11,000
• Athenian Soldiers
• Hoplites (citizen soldiers)
• Hoplites Full Armor
• Transportation
• Supply
• Medical/ Wounded/ Dead

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Logistics (Hoplites)
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Effects of Logistics

• Persians Army 25,000
• Sea based (Amphibious)
• Soldiers consisted of
• Transportation (600 ships)
• Supply
• Medical

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Logistics (Persians)
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Logistics
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The Battle of Marathon

• Effects of Logistics
• Significant Events Historical
  Ramifications

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Significant Events
Historical Ramifications

• Military Charge
• Maneuver (Feint)
• Vulnerability and shortfalls

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The Battle of Marathon
Significant Events Historical
Ramifications Relation to Marine Corps
Doctrine
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Athenians

• Operational
• The Athenians set blocking position
• Compare to MEU
• Initial push in Afghanistan
• Changing tactics
• Current combat operations

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Athenians

• Tactics
• Blocking position
• Still in use today
• Fallujah

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Persians

• Operational
• Landed at Marathon
• Stalemate for 10 days
• Sending cavalry back
• Not used today

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Persians

• Tactical
• Elite troops in center
• Stood their ground
• Not counting on Athenians speed
• Confusion of battle
• Persians flank open
• Not use today

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Persians

• Cont.
• Persian tactics are more defensive
• This is use today
• Create casualties
• Cavalry
• Still in use today

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The Battle of Marathon

• Relation to Marine Corps Doctrine
• Lessons Learned

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Lessons Learned

• Athenians
• Knowledge
• leaders Fought for Persians
• Neutralized offensive attack
• US Forces Today
• Minimum Soldier and Marines
• Use of Terrain
• Element of Surprise

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Lessons Learned

• Cont.
• Speed to overcome firepower
• 2003 US Raced to Baghdad

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Lessons Learned

• Persians
• No Allies
• US uses allies to achieve common purpose
• Allied Nations provide aide
• Misuse of supporting arms
• HAW-MAW-LAW

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Summary

• Timeline
• Operational Context
• Organization
• Significant Leaders
• Weapons Employment
• Effects of Terrain/Climate

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Cont.

• Effects of Logistics
• Significant Events
  Historical Ramifications
• Relation to Marine Corps Doctrine
• Lessons Learned