26. Athens’ Aid to the Ionian Rebels Leads to a Persian Invasion
Athens sent an expeditionary force which joined the Ionian rebels in marching to the Persian governor’s seat in Sardis, putting it to the torch. The Persians eventually crushed the revolt in 495 BC and discovered Miltiades’ betrayal. He was forced to flee to Athens, where he was elected one of its ten generals.
The Persians determined to punish Athens for aiding the Ionians, and sent a punitive expedition which landed on the plain of Marathon north of Athens, in 490 BC. The Athenians marched out with a force of about 10,000 hoplites – armored heavy infantry – with no cavalry or archers. They faced a Persian force of at least 25,000 infantry, plus thousands of archers and 1000 cavalry.