332 



THE PLAIN OF MARATHON. 



the ancient Brilessus. Beyond is the extensive plain of Athens, 

 which reaches from Mount Pentelicus to the sea. 



As soon as the Athenians received intelligence that the Persians 

 had actually landed in their country they marched against them. 

 Of the exact number on either side Herodotus makes no mention ; 

 according to Plutarch (in Parall.) and Valerius Maximus, the forces 

 of the enemy amounted to 300,000; Justin reckons them to be 

 600,000; and Cornelius Nepos (in vita Milt.) makes them ten times 

 the number of the Athenians, or about 100,000. The amount of 

 the Grecian force must have been of universal notoriety ; the battle 

 of Marathon was doubtless the most important event in the history of 

 Athens; it was ever afterwards the pride and boast of the Athenians; 

 and might be considered no less than the fight at Artemisium, as 

 y.pyirk IxevQepetg, (Pindar) " the foundation of their freedom ;" surely 

 then the recollection of every minute circumstance of that engage- 

 ment would be fondly cherished to the last hour of the republic. 

 Although therefore Herodotus does not relate the numbers in the 

 Grecian army, the authority of Plutarch, Cornelius Nepos, and 

 Pausanias on this head may be accepted without hesitation ; for 

 though these authors differ with regard to the Persian army, they 

 uniformly agree in stating the Athenian force at Marathon to have 

 been 9000 men*, besides 1000 Plataeans, who alone of the other 

 Grecian states bore a part in the engagement. Pausanias particularly 

 observes (in Phoc.) that in this statement of the Athenian force 

 the slaves were also included. An army of 10,000 men was but an 

 inconsiderable force to oppose to the Persians, unless this amazing 

 inferiority was counterbalanced by some local advantages. The 

 Greeks therefore when they arrived at Marathon, would not descend 

 into the plain to expose themselves to be surrounded by numbers, 



* Mr. Mitford in his History of Greece (i. 365.) supposes the regular Grecian forces 

 engaged at the battle of Marathon to consist of greater numbers than those mentioned in 

 the text. He adds some thousand slaves to the Athenian army ; whereas Pausanias iri- 

 eludes them in the number 9000. A0>jv«/oi <ruv hovhoi; Ivvicuxta-^iKiuiv oKpUono 6v Trkelovg. — 

 Phoc. 



