What really happened in the Battle of Marathon?
The confrontation between the Greeks and the Persians began in 499 BC, with the Greeks as the initiators. Greek city-states in Asia Minor, part of the Persian Empire, rose in rebellion. They enjoyed autonomy but sought complete independence. The Peloponnesian Greeks took various stances towards the rebels. Sparta wished not to interfere, but Athens sent an expeditionary force on 20 ships. The rebels, together with the Athenians, managed to storm the satrapy’s capital, the city of Sardis. The Athenians returned home jubilant with their spoils.
The Persians were in no hurry. They suppressed the uprising and gradually conquered Thrace and Macedonia, lying between their empire and Greece. Now, they had the opportunity to reach the Peloponnese by land. In 491 BC, Persian King Darius sent envoys to all Greek city-states demanding “earth and water,” signifying recognition of his supreme authority. All but Sparta and Athens accepted the Persian terms. In Athens, the envoys were tried and executed. Unsurprisingly, agreeing would have meant returning the loot from Sardis. In Sparta, the Persian delegation was thrown into a well and told to take their earth and water from there.
