The Battle of Marathon 490 B'C'

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The Battle of Marathon490 B.C.
NS 410
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OUTLINE

• Learning Objectives
• Time Line and Background
• Geographic Location
• Type of Amphibious operation
• Key Players
• Summary of events
• Key Considerations
• Lessons Learned

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Timeline
500 B.C. - Ionian Revolt in Asia minor 490 B.C.
- Battle of Marathon  MAP 481 B.C. - Greek
League Greek league against Persia, with Sparta
in charge of the army, and Athens, the navy. 480
B.C. - Battle at Thermopylae  MAP 479 B.C. -
Battle at Salamis  MAP 479 B.C. - Battle at
Plataea  MAP END OF PERSIAN INVASION 477 B.C. -
Aristides forms Delian League Athens, in charge
of the Delian League, went on the offensive to
free the Ionian cities. 449 B.C. - Peace of
Callias Persia and Athens sign peace treaty.
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Learning Objectives

• Understand the battle of Marathon as it pertains
  to the Levels of War (Policy, Strategy,
  Operational, and Tactical).
• Understand the 4 types of amphibious operations
  and how they relate to the battle of Marathon.
• Comprehend the conduct of the amphibious
  operation by the Persians, particularly the
  choice to land at Marathon.
• Relate the conduct and success/failure of the
  battle to the 9 Principles of War and key terms
  of MCDP-1 Warfighting .

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General Significance

• Classic examples of
• Land power vs. sea power.
• Heavy infantry shock system vs. light cavalry
  missile power.
• Policy, Strategy, Operational Levels of War.
• 9 Principles of War.
• 4 types of Amphibious Operations.

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Ancient Map Orientation
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Geographic Location
Marathon
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Amphib Assault

• Athenians
• Led by Miltiades Callimachus
• 10,000 troops
• Phalanx formations
• Heavy Infantry
• Shock Action/No firepower
• No cavalry
• Unbreakable front, vulnerable flanks.

• Persians
• Led by Darius
• Datis - Army Cmdr
• Artaphernes - Navy Cmdr
• 600 galleys
• 10-15,000 troops
• Light force
• Primarily cavalry
• Missile power, no shock.

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Key Players Greek Hoplite
Hoplon 32-40 diam.
Hoplite
Falcata
Leaf blade 2
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Key PlayersPersian Armament
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Why invade the Athenians?

• Punish Athenians for supporting the Ionian revolt
  in 499 B.C.
• Secure west flank of Aegean Sea for Sea Lines of
  Communication (SLOC).
• To secure south flank for attack on Scythians.
• To build the Persian Empire.

POLICY
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How to get to the fight? Darius has 2 options

• By land, supported logistically by the navy.
• Persian strength - Army
• Not limited on the number of troops
• Long, difficult, time consuming route.

• By sea, with an amphibious landing.
• Direct route
• Persia is not a naval power.
• Size of invasion force limited by transport
  capacity.

STRATEGIC
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Lets Invade - Take 1

• 492 B.C. - Darius attacks by land, supported
  logistically by the Navy.
• Movement halted when the navy is destroyed in a
  storm off of Mt Athos.

STRATEGIC
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Lets Invade - Take 2

• 490 B.C. - Darius decides to conduct an
  amphibious operation.

Sack Eretria first. (Amphib Raid)
STRATEGIC
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Why land Marathon?

• Why land at Marathon, far from Athens? Why not
  land at Athens?
• Intel from Hippias.
• Unopposed Landing site.
• Draw the garrison army out of Athens.
• Conduct an amphibious envelopment on an
  unprotected Athens.
• Marathon supposedly has good terrain for cavalry.

Force the enemy to react to you.
Amphib Operations as a form of envelopment.
The influence of terrain and geography.
OPERATIONAL
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What happened?
Landing is rarely the key problem

• Persians land unopposed at Marathon.
• Stay on beach and bivouac.
• Beach is not suitable for cavalry.
• Athenians arrive from the inland route and
  observe Persians encamped on the beach.
• Wait for Spartans to reinforce (2 weeks),
• OR
• Attack now, before Persian plans develop further.

Seize the Initiative
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Conduct of the Battle

• Athenians attack Persians on the beach.
• They extend the phalanx, reinforce the flanks and
  thin their center.
• They anchor the flanks along terrain obstacles.
• Persians push through the weakened Greek center.
• The strong Greek flanks destroy the lightly armed
  Persian flanks, and collapse on the Persian
  center (double envelopment).
• Hand-to-hand combat decisive victory for
  Athenians.

Maneuver put the enemy at a disadvantage.
TACTICAL
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Conduct of the Battle
Persians Frontal Attack Athenians Double
Envelopment
TACTICAL
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What happened next?

• Persian forces still attempted an amphibious
  envelopment on Athens.
• Successful Athenians returned to the city via
  inland, direct route
• Spartan reinforcements arrived
• Political intrigue did not manifest in fall of
  Athens
• End result Persians unable to land and conduct
  decisive battle

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Conclusions

• Interesting attempt by Persians to use amphibious
  operations to draw the army out of Athens and
  then conduct and amphibious envelopment on
  Athens.
• Darius had one land and one navy commander (Split
  Command).
• Persians failure to move off the beach allowed
  the Athenians to seize the initiative, block
  exits, and choose the battlefield.

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Conclusions (cont.)

• Athenians tactical control of the battle and
  initiative negated the strengths of the Persian
  army.
• KIA 192 Greeks to 6,400 Persians
• Persians forced to conduct a difficult amphibious
  withdrawal.