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Home , 490 BC, Artaphernes, Battle of Marathon, Datis, Miltiades

H I S T O R I C A L S C E N A R I O S

The Battle of , 490 B.C. BY MARK HERMAN

With some kibitzing and commentary from Richard Berg, as well as his version of how you should play the battle! For your pleasure and HISTORICAL recently concluded Ionian To that end the Persian edification we throw in a BACKGROUND revolt, the Athenians had not commanders devised a rather rather quick-playing simula- only provided aid to the neat little plan, a plan which warfare is a rather rebels but had participated in relied on the very real tion of one of the great stolid affair. In most battles the burning of one of his possibility that the "opposi- "hoplite" battles of history: it's a question of whether provincial capitals, . tion" party inside Darius decided to wreak a would react favorably to Marathon. This mini-scenario "a" can outpush and outsnarl Phalanx "b". This, little revenge upon the Persian intervention. The takes about an hour to play for the most part, is why we upstart Athenians by sending Persians probably hoped that (there aren't too many chose not to begin our Great an army to punish the . their reputation and the effect Battles of History series with After all, Persia was, oh, of the eventual punitive counters), for which you can something like HOPLITE: maybe lOOx bigger in size and destruction of Athens would use either counters included Classical Greek Warfare. With resources than the little city convince the Greek city states on the hill. How much that it was better to "offer with Great Battles of History only a few exceptions, the scenario pickings alternate resistance could she offer? water and dirt", the classical, Module Nr.2 War Elephant or between dreary and grim. traditional act of political components from Marathon, one of the pivotal subservience, than face battles in classical history, is certain future retribution. The The Great Battles of one of those exceptions. Strategic View: more realistic Persian Alexander. Balance tends to The route of the expectation was probably that their expedition would In 490 B.C., Darius, The Great Persian Fleet. favor the Greeks, unless the destroy Athens and gather King of Persia, had pretty The Persian Expedition Persian much had it up to his curley, intelligence for some future was commanded by conquest of . happens to wander in. oiled beard with the shenani- gans of the Greek city-states - , a professional especially Athens. In the general of Medean The is descent. surrounded in myth. We are led to believe that a small heroic Athenian army stood alone against the hordes of . In actuality, had sent what amounts to a Reconnaissance in Force, undoubtedly of decent quality. The size of the Persian invasion army is a subject of great debate, with estimates ranging as high as 100,000 men. In fact, given the Persian strategic aims, 20,000 seems far more reasonable and supportable. If one includes the oarsmen in the estimates, then the 20,000 figure is not that far off. In any case, the size of the land army was probably not much larger than the Greek army that they fought. I have used Delbruck's figures as the basis

The Great Battles of History Series: Marathon for my interpretation of this battle. This puts Athens at around 7000 effectives, and Persia at about 8500, includ- ing the recalcitrant cavalry. The two opponents were fairly evenly matched in both quality and quantity. How- ever, their army composition reflected great differences in tactical doctrine. The Athe- nian force was composed entirely of that quintessential Greek Heavy Infantry, the Hoplite. And the were arrayed in that equally quintessential Greek forma- tion that took the greatest advantage of the hoplites' weapons (pikes), armour (heavy) and density: the phalanx. (In the game, I have rolled the small Plataean Like a Mede) was rather contingent directly into the uninspired, and much of their left-most Hoplite Phalanx.) a contingent of oligarches Operational View: success could be attributed to The Athenian heavy infantry who would betray the city to The Battle of Marathon, the quality of their cavalry may have had some light the Persians during a . September490 B.C. - and the massive incompe- forces guarding their flanks in Based on his advice, the Persians land in tence of their opponents. Persians decided on a rather the heights, but they played but are repulsed by an no significant part in the ingenious stratagem. Instead There is no doubt that the Athenian army under battle. The Greek doctrine of marching directly to attack Persians were competently Mitiades in the Vrana was simple; line up in front Athens, they landed on the led. Theoretically, the of the opponent and launch Marathon plain 19 miles Valley. the Hoplites straight ahead, expedition was commanded northeast of the city. Their with the issue to be decided by , the son of the scheme was to draw the quickly by hand-to-hand of Sardis. In actuality, Athenian army away from the re-embark and advance by combat. Datis, a professional general city so that the fifth-colum- sea the Athenians could fall of Medean descent, was in nists could take control on on their rear when they The Persian force was charge of operations. Athens, behalf of the Persians. attempted to withdraw. The composed of light infantry though, was fortunate to have Persians were left with only and light cavalry from all better - even extraordinary - The Athenian generals two options: fight or wait for over the empire. The Persian leadership in , swallowed the bait. Upon the city to be betrayed to main battle line deployed , , and learning that the Persians them. archers in ordered ranks, plus . were landing, the Athenian a large contingent armed with army immediately set out to The Athenians also had two spears or swords but whose The campaign unfolded with intercept their landing, but basic choices: attack at the armor was very light, the Persian expeditionary arrived too late. The Persians first good opportunity, or consisting almost entirely of a force advancing toward were already ashore. The wait for possible Spartan wicker shield. The Persian Greece, attacking various Athenians now placed reinforcements. The Persians doctrine was to defeat their Greek city states (e.g., they themselves in a narrow may have felt that time was opponents using archery, a levelled ) that had valley, Vrana, that flanked the on their side. If ' doctrine that appeared to be assisted the Athenians in their Persian route of advance to supporters in Athens and driven by a burning desire to support of the Ionian rebels the city. The valley also within the Athenian force avoid shock combat. Once along the way. The Persians offered the Athenians could betray them to the they had driven off the enemy were being advised by the protection against the Persian Persians, a bloodless victory cavalry, the light cavalry was former of Athens, cavalry. Since the valley was could be won. As an Athenian to harass the flanks of the Hippias, who after his exile wider than the battleline, they navy had not yet been built, enemy main battleline. Even resided in the Persian court. used wooden abatis to extend the Persians, with 600 ships, at its best, the Persian system Undoubtedly, his knowledge their defensive positions. If had absolute naval su- of speed and harassment of the political situation in the Persians tried to march premacy and the ability to (Float Like a Phrygian, Sting Athens led him to inform his overland toward Athens the logistically support them- new employers that there was Athenians would fall on their selves for an indefinite time. flank. If the Persians tried to

Marathon: The Great Battles of History Series

The Phalanx: A formation of hoplites lined up in files, often eight deep. These files stood side by side in ranks, each file occupy- ing a 6 to 8 foot frontage.

And those additional Spartan Hoplites, which they weren't, Persian cavalry starts off the ployed in front of you. hoplites would not solve the mostly to deny the Athenians map and appears randomly at Persian superiority in cavalry, Attack Superiority against some point during the battle. Delbruck has also overlooked the one "light" tactical system them and capture the essence Obviously, other historians another good reason why the against which a Hoplite force of what seems to have differ on this point. Athenians couldn't wait. would be vulnerable. (The occurred.) The Athenian Miltiades was a former Prince superiority of light cavalry to wings succeeded where the Delbruck views the Persian of the Chersonese ( unprotected heavy infantry center had failed: they force as a swarm of archers peninsula) and also a former was a lesson that M. Publius destroyed the flanks of the who were forced to attack the vassal of Darius. He had fled Crassus learned almost 450 Persian army and then Athenians because of their back to Athens after his years later, at Carrhae.) reformed to destroy the untenable position. He feels it attempted betrayal of Darius Although Callimachus was Persian center. The victory absurd to believe the histori- was exposed, during the nominally the head general, was complete. The Persian cal accounts, because the latter's retreat from the failed Miltiades was the Athenians' withdrawal to their ships was Athenians would not have Scythian campaign. To make natural leader. Based on his probably accomplished initiated the battle prior to the matters worse, Miltiades had former position within the without Greek pursuit Spartans joining them. His helped to overthrow the same Persian empire, Miltiades because of the protection description of the battle has Hippias who was advising knew and understood the afforded by the now-returned the Persians initiating an the Persian leadership. These strengths and weaknesses of cavalry, a feat attested to by attack by advancing upon the were motivated and desper- the Persian military system the fact that the victorious Athenian position in the ate men who led the Athenian and felt that he had the right Athenians managed to Vrana valley. As the arrow forces. They were not about type of force to defeat them - capture only 7 ships. volleys grew in volume and to sit around and allow if the cavalry could be accuracy Miltiades ordered a matters to be settled without nullified. Miltiades' initial That the Persian cavalry did charge which shattered the their direct input. deployment, featuring deep not play a prominent role in Persian force. He feels that it wings, at the expense of the battle was, most likely, was missile fire and not shock Whatever the tactical and thinning out his center, was because they were out combat that broke the strategic arguments, the designed to neutralize cavalry foraging, an assignment Athenian center. Athenian victory at Marathon attacks on his flanks. Good which (arguably) did much to was followed by a quick leadership would also have change the course of history The problem I have with this counter-march back to Athens waited for an opportunity to in this area. Due to the interpretation is several fold. to stymie the efforts (or the even the odds even more. problems in transporting Delbruck assumes that the lack thereof) of the Pro-Persia horses by sea, it is doubtful Athenians were in no hurry to Party. The latter, it appears, says the Greeks, whether the Persian cavalry have a battle since they had all gotten a collective case upon noticing the absence of numbered more than 800 to should have been waiting for of cold feet, and the return of the Persian cavalry, charged 1000. The Athenian formation the promised Spartan the army confirmed that swiftly and limited the with its deep wings at the cost reinforcements. I think this is pediatric diagnosis. Strategi- Persian opportunities to of a weak center is partially inaccurate. Miltiades, cally, Marathon led to a long employ their archery tactics. due to the anticipated Themistocles, and Aristides term enmity between the However, the Persian center presence of a small cavalry were suspicious that oligar- Persians and the Greeks was composed of high force. The scenario speculates chic traitors would betray the (Darius was back in force quality, Persian regulars, who that the cavalry were not city to the Persians. Hippias only 10 years later), an enmity were probably better armored present when the battle had been deposed only 20 which was not resolved until than the majority of the started. This rationale rests on years earlier, and the strength Alexander conquered the Persian infantry, and they the fact that the opposing of the fledgling Persian empire. managed to defeat the armies had occupied their was uncertain at best. Besides, thinned out Athenian center positions for 3 days, by which the Spartan reinforcements during the battle. (To simu- time the Persians would have were not to arrive for a late this I have denoted the depleted the available forage. fortnight - a rather long time Persian center forces as Based on this premise the to wait with an army de-

The Great Battles of History Series: Marathon

Rules: NOTE: Both the Herman and Berg Scenario versions share a Players should use The Great Battle of Alexander rules and common set of Special Rules; see the following two pages for charts - as modified by SPQR 11.9, where applicable. a breakdown of these rules from Off-Map Persian Forces to Victory Conditions. Deployment:

The Battle of Marathon Scenario • • • ATHENIANS AND ALLIES September 490 B.C. All Athenian units are facing toward the Sea.

Unit Hex(es) Miltiades ------5104 This deployment and use of counters represents the theories Athenian HO 1 ------5103 - 5104 represented in the historical article, above. Athenian HO 2 ------5105 - 5106 Athenian HO 3------5107 - 5108 Components: Athenian HO 4 ------5109 - 5110 This battle uses components from The Great Battles of Athenian HO 5 ------5111-5112 Alexander, with the noted modifications. Use the Greek City - State counters from Chaeronea, plus the Alexander III counter Theban* HO 1------5204 - 5205 from the Macedonian counter mix to represent Miltiades. For Theban* HO 2 ------5212 - 5213 Datis, use the Aristomedes counter (from Issus); for Abatis ------5102, 5113, 5114 Artaphernes, use the Bupares (Granicus) leader. • = There were no Thebans present; these represent Athenians. Map: The Issus map actually bears a startling resemblance to the Varna Valley-Marathon Plain position. For Marathon pur- • • • PERSIANS poses, Issus North is Marathon South (i.e., the sea is now to the All Persian units are facing toward the Varna Valley and the Greek east (Issus west). The Persian fleet is off the Marathon-north positions. edge of the map on the coastline. Off the Marathon-south edge of the map, along the coastline where the Issus Level-1 hexes UnitHex(es) are, is a swamp, the presence of which is forcing the Persians to move somewhat inland in order to proceed south to Athens. Datis ------2512 (There was a road running in that direction which the Persians Cardaces 1------2504 - 2505 wished to take - the road flanked by the Varna Valley position. Cardaces 2 ------2506 - 2507 It would have no effect on game play.) Cardaces 3 ------2509-2510 Adjust elevations as follows: Cardaces 4 ------2514-2515 1. Issus Levels 1, 2 = Marathon Level 1 Cardaces 5 ------2517 - 2518 2. Issus Levels 3, 4* = Marathon Level 2 Cardaces 6 ------2519 - 2520 3. Issus Level 5 = Marathon Level 3**. 4. Treat the Pinarus River as a shallow stream, equal to the Royal Gd [HO] 1 ------2511 height level of its adjacent North and South hexes. It has no Royal Gd [HO] 2 ------2512 effect on movement, cohesion or combat. Royal Gd [HO] 3 ------2513 Persian LC 1 ------Off Map * = The Issus level-4 hexes around the upper ford, which in the errata are lowered to level-2, should be treated as level-2 Persian LC 2 ------Off Map Marathon hexes. Artaphernes ------Off Map ** = These hexes may not be entered by cavalry; they cost infantry 2 MP's to enter. (Although they were low-lying foothills, they were extremely rocky and broken, making IMPORTANT: passage through them quite difficult.) All Cardaces units are Missile capable archers.

Marathon: The Great Battles of History Series

The Battle of Marathon Scenario II Athenian/Plataen Hoplites (PH) [See Double-Depth Rule] September 490 B.C. 4600, 4615 - 16 Abatis markers (from GBA)

Any hex Miltiades

Nobody likes a kibitzer . . . always hanging over your shoulder, * = Mark H. assures me that if there were any Athenian-type telling you to play this card, not that card, second-guessing you archers present they were most likely small detachments of with practiced expertise. And guess who answers that descrip- used as city police. Sounds interesting. tion? Well, despite the fact that Mark knows a lot more about this than I do, I would have done it somewhat differently. I can do this because we've included the counters in War Elephant, • • • PERSIANS counters that (I feel) more accurately represent the make-up of the Persian force. You'll still need abatis counters from GBA. Hex(es) Units 2900 ------*Khorassan Light Cavalry #1 This deployment - and counter choice - places the Athenians at 2902-3 ------Ethiopian LI Archers, #'s 1-2 the mouth of the valley (as per Delbruck's second-thought 2904 ------Hyrcanian Light Infantry assessment) and the Persians somewhat closer, because of the 2905-6 ------Indian Light Infantry #'s 1, 2 (off-map) presence of the swamp to the south. The Varna 2907-8 ------Persian Heavy Infantry mouth was approximately 1500 meters wide at the point 2909-10 ------Sacaean Medium Infantry Miltiades (purportedly) chose to deploy (as is the hexrow I 2911-12 ------Babylonian Light Infantry, #'s 1, 2 have used). The unpassable foothills to the right flank of the 2913 ------Egyptian Light Infantry mouth start off the southern edge of the Marathon map, 2914-15 ------Ethiopian LI Archers, #'s 3, 4 providing the Athenians with right wing protection. 2917 ------*Khorassan Light Cavalry #2

I have chosen to go mostly with a Persian army that is heavy in Any hex—————Datis bow-armed light infantry, with some heavier units (the sources 2900 or 2917——- * Artiphernes say "swordsmen", etc.) in the center. Although my gut feeling is that the Persians did not have any units that qualified as * = The Persian player may deploy his cavalry from the start. "Heavy Infantry", I have made the Persian detachments so. If This helps balance things out, and the usual assumption the accounts of the battle are correct, and these units withstood that they were not present is not a sure thing. If he wishes the initial Athenian charge, it would be difficult to see how to use the Herman Reinforcement Method, go ahead. But they could be anything else (given what we know about the make the "entrance" dieroll (see Off-Map Persians, below) relative strengths of the systems). Then again, perhaps this a "0" or "9". leads one to the conclusion that the Persian center, with heavy missile support from the flanks, actually counter-charged! In game terms, this would enable these Persians to be more of the Medium Infantry they probably were and not suffer from the effects of system Superiority. Interesting. Special Rules: For both Herman & Berg Scenario Versions I have also accentuated the Athenian "heavy flanks-thin center" array by "isolating" the center hoplite unit in the Athenian Phalanx and doubling up the flank hexes. To do this I Off-Map Persian Forces have reduced the size of the Athenian hoplites and added an additional unit. I have also included the two skirmisher units It is not clear where the Persian cavalry was, what role it that appear in some depictions of the battle (and had nothing played in the battle or whether or not it was even present. to do with its outcome, to be sure). Artaphernes and two Persian Light Cavalry units are off map at the beginning of the scenario. At the start of Datis's Orders • • • ATHENIANS AND ALLIES Phase, the Persian player rolls the die. If he rolls a '0', Artaphernes and the two Persian Light Cavalry units immedi- Hex(es) Units ately enter the map through any Marathon Level 1 hex on the 4618 Athenian Javelinists (SK) South edge and it is, instead, Artaphernes' Order Phase. (Datis 4516 Scythian Police* Archers (SK) may go later.) Artaphernes entry counts as his first orders phase for that turn. Thereafter these units are treated normally. 4601-2 Athenian Hoplites (PH) #'s 1 and 2 [See Double-Depth Rule] The Persian Player may not so roll on the first turn of the game. 4603-4 Athenian Hoplites (PH) #3 4606-7 Athenian Hoplites (PH) #4 If playing the Bergian Deployment you may start the game 4609-10 Athenian Hoplites (PH) #5 with the LC (here, Khorassan cavalry) on the map or off. If off, 4611-12 Athenian Hoplites (PH) #6 they enter on a dieroll of '0' or '9'. 4613-14 Athenian Hoplites (PH) #7,

The Great Battles of History Series: Marathon

Overall Commanders stacking unit starts its movement directly behind the "front" There is only one Athenian commander, Miltiades; I guess that unit. The back unit then expends one MP to stack (but no makes him OC. There is no overall Persian Commander. Cohesion Hits); the doubled may then complete the movement/order, under the following restrictions: Miltiades and Leader Replacement Miltiades may use the Elite Initiative rule (5.5). If Miltiades is •• For any movement that would incur a Cohesion Hit, each unit incurs that hit.. killed he is immediately replaced by the Alexander •• The doubled phalanx may not Reverse, Wheel or use Column. They (Chaeronea) leader counter, which represents Callimachus. may move as one unit but it does take two Individual Orders to Place Callimachus on or adjacent to any friendly combat unit. If move both units at the same time. Callimachus is killed continue using the Alexander counter •• Doubled phalanxes may use the 8 Stadia Run rule, but they earn two from Chaeronea. Historically, there were ten Athenian generals Cohesion hits for doing so. at Marathon, including Themistocles (founder of the Athenian navy and victor at Salamis) and Aristides (Battle of ), so When resolving any Shock involving a doubled phalanx, the following apply: there is always an Athenian leader on the board. Callimachus •• The sizes of both units are combined (usually producing a Size of 20) •• Persian units defending against Shock by a doubled phalanx add and his potential successors may not use the Alexander one (+1) to their Charge check dierolls. Initiative rule. •• A defending, doubled-phalanx subtracts one (-1) from its Pre-Shock Charge check dieroll. If either Persian leader is killed, simply replace him in any •• Only the TOP unit makes TQ checks. However, if it fails such check other hex - other than the one in which he bought it - either (gets a Cohesion hit), the bottom unit then checks. adjacent to or stacked with any friendly combat unit. •• If a defending, doubled phalanx is shock attacked from its flank or rear, cohesion hits incurred are tripled, not doubled. The 8 Stadia, Mini-"Marathon" •• If either phalanx unit in the stack routs, both rout. •• Each Phalanx unit keeps track of any Cohesion hits separately. Supposedly, the Athenians set off at a run and covered 1500 meters (8 Stadia) before clashing with the Persian forces. Retreat Edge Delbruck, with simple logic, points out this is physically Persian units rout toward Level 1 hexes on the South edge of unlikely. Lets face it, how likely is it that 7000 Athenians in 40+ the map. Athenian units rout toward their starting positions pounds of heavy armor took off on a mile run, maintained their and off the board between the Level 3 hills on the East edge of formation cohesion, and won a battle? Looking at it from a the map. game mechanic viewpoint, 1500 meters is 20 hexes, or five Orders Phases. The last four would earn the unit at least four Cohesion Hits (for moving more than once), which would Army Rout place them awfully close to Rout even before any attack. What Both sides rout when units with a TQ totalling 30 points have Delbruck points out is that the Athenian burial mound is routed. If both sides rout on the same turn the Athenian player exactly 1500 meters from the Athenian starting positions. wins. Herodotus stood on this mound when surveying the battle. It is likely that the burial mound marks the position where the Size and TQ Levels (Herman) Athenian pursuit ceased after routing the Persians. It is also likely that there is something to the ancient accounts, therefore Player Size TQ Pts Rout Ratio Quality Ratio I propose the following rule. Athenian 70 42 71% 0.60 Persians 85 64 46% 0.75 The Athenian player may, in any one orders phase, but only once during the game, declare a scaled-down version of the 8 Size and TQ Levels (Berg*) Stadia run. Upon this declaration all Athenian units may move double their movement allowance (to 8 MPs). Each Athenian Player Size TQ Pts Rout Ratio Quality Ratio unit that exceeds its 4 MP allowance during this declaration Athenian 74 55 55% 0.55 receives one cohesion hit. Persian infantry units may not Persians 83 77 39% 0.93 conduct Orderly Withdrawal (6.6) in the face of an onrushing Athenian "marathoner". If using the optional Drift to the * = Berg's Persians are somewhat higher in terms of TQ. This has more Right rule (6.5), it does not apply during the 8 Stadia Run. to do with the fact that Herman is stuck using the GBA Cardaces counters, while Berg gets the benefit of brand-new counters from War Elephant, than any real difference in opinion concerning the worth of Greek Double-depth Phalanxes the Persians. This rule is borrowed from the Cynoscephalae scenario in SPQR. We have used the term "phalanx" to mean an indi- Victory Conditions vidual hoplite unit (even though the actual unit is not desig- Athenians - Rout the Persian Army. nated as such). (Four Athenian phalanxes start the Berg Persians - Rout the Athenian Army. Deployment Scenario already in double-depth.) Cowardly Draw - If there has not been a shock combat by To form double-depth, Greek hoplite units may stack, two to a the 10th Game turn then the battle is over and nobody wins. hex. Forming double-depth requires an Order, in which the Remember both sides are desperate, so get on with it.