Who Really Won the Battle of Marathon?: A bold re-appraisal of one of history’s most famous battles

by Constantinos Lagos, Fotis Karyanos, John Carr (Translator)

The Battle of Marathon in 490 BC, where an Athenian-led Greek force defeated a Persian invasion, is one of the most decisive battles in Antiquity and has been studied for centuries. It is famed as a triumph of the Greek hoplite heavy infantry phalanx against massively superior Persian numbers. But this exciting re-assessment of the evidence, including new archaeological findings, overturns many long-held assumptions. In particular the authors argue that the Greek numerical inferiority was less marked than previously thought, largely because the hoplites were accompanied by many light infantrymen who are given unprecedented credit for their role in the fighting. The contribution of these poorer citizens, it is argued, led to the immediate strengthening of democracy in Athens.

The authors also tackle the much-debated mystery of the whereabouts of the Persian cavalry, generally thought to have been absent on the day of battle. Their bold answer is that it was not only present but played a central role in the fighting. However, the Greeks managed to defeat the Persian cavalry by their ingenious use of the terrain. Karyanos and Lagos also claim to have located the site of the Greek camp. This thoroughly researched and compelling re-assessment is an exciting new take on this justly famous event.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published February 28, 2020

Reviews

[Rebecca Hill]

If you enjoy military history, then this book is for you! Dive into facts, theories and so much more! The author, Constantinos Lagos brings a new perspective to the many different theories that have been thrown around for centuries.

The Persians were a force to be reckoned with, masters of war and defense, But the Greek force managed to route and defeat the Persian military. The back and forth among historians has often led to heated debates, and many different thoughts as to how the Greek military could unseat such a heavy favorite of the ancient world.

Lagos dives deep into history, bringing the backgrounds to the forefront, and giving a fresh perspective of this age old battle. For military historians, this is a must read book! It is one that is going to have you scribbling notes, and running to the library looking for documentation and more information. One of the best books of the year! His findings might just surprise you...

[Robert Neil Smith]

It was one of Edward Creasy’s Fifteen Decisive Battles that anyone with a passing interest in military history will have read about. But what do we really know about the Battle of Marathon? It was won by a numerically inferior Greek Hoplite force against a massive invading Persian army in 490 BCE. That saved democracy and western European history, right? Maybe not, argue Constantinos Lagos and Fotis Karyanos, who reconstruct the evidence to draw a very different picture of Marathon and its legacy.
Lagos and Karyanos begin with a survey of the Persian invasion, lowering the number that sailed to a reasonable sized army rather than a horde, and establishing why they chose Marathon as their landing place. Lagos and Karyanos turn to the Athenian army, its command structure, famous hoplite warriors, and tellingly the light-armed troops who rarely get a mention from classical historians but almost certainly fought alongside the hoplites at Marathon. Therefore, argue the authors of this new study, the sides were more evenly matched than previously believed. The authors then describe the Athenian march to Marathon where the Persians were encamped, their delay in offering battle, and the debates that ensued before deployment.
Before offering their reconstruction of Marathon, the authors survey other modern explanations of what happened, all of which contain flaws that eliminate them as contenders. That leads to Lagos and Karyanos’s Battle of Marathon, which they narrate in great detail. They set great store by the presence of the Persian cavalry and that significantly colours their narrative of events. The authors devote a separate chapter to how they arrived at their reconstruction through the creative meshing of history, archaeology, geography, and geological data. They favour Nepos over Herodotus on the role of the Persian cavalry, and much of the rest of their reconstruction follows that integral piece of the puzzle. Lagos and Karyanos conclude with a chapter on the political and social consequences of the battle, which they argue adds more weight to their interpretation.
Lagos and Karyanos deploy an interesting combination of sources and archaeology to create their reconstruction of Marathon, and their digressions into the competing interpretations of the evidence provide insight into the workings of ancient historians, though there are times when they dwell too long on this. A solid base of footnotes and some illuminating maps and photographs help them build their case. There is, however, a bit too much probability and circumstantial evidence factored into the authors’ conclusions for my liking, and I was not fully convinced. That is not to say Lagos and Karyanos have got it wrong; their contribution to the history of the battle is significant and they have to be taken seriously. But I suspect this reconstruction will open the door for more debate rather than close it. This book is well written, clearly structured, and an enjoyable read for anyone interested in this pivotal, but still controversial, battle.

[Christian Freed]

Ok, first off- this is a very DRY read. It falls into the trap of the old history books where its a slough just getting through it. Fortunately I am a military historian and know the importance of this battle in history. Once you can get past the almost academic prose you see and appreciate the depths of research the authors did. Marathon was an incredibly important battle for the Greeks and proved a model that has been reenacted throughout the centuries. 2500 years later, this remains one of the most important battles in history.
Give this one a read if you can stand the numbers and theories.