Comments on: The Battle Of Marathon http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/ War, Science, and Philosophy in a Fractured World. Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:33:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: PROGRESS REPORT « AEnriquez Weblog http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-27299 PROGRESS REPORT « AEnriquez Weblog Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:13:21 +0000 http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-27299 [...] http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/ [...] [...] http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/ [...]

]]> By: Leonidas http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-25775 Leonidas Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:28:04 +0000 http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-25775 Interesting...I agree that the Greeks must have surprised the Persians, but to what extent is hard to say. Would be hard to believe that a Persian comander did not place pickets and some rudimentary fortification in front of their camp. The phalanx depicted in your picture would not be a greek phalanx at the time of Marathon. Your picture shows a Macedonian phalanx which Philip the one-eye developed using the Sarissa pike. The Greeks at the time of Marathon would have used a phalanx of not more than 8 men/ranks deep. In battle, the front rank would use a underhand stab technique to go after the groin of those in front of them, while the 2nd rank would use an overhand stab technique over the shoulders of those in the 1st rank to go after the face/shoulders of the enemy. Battle would last for a minute or so, with pauses in between. This would give the phalanx time to shift fresh hoplites to the front and give those recently fighting time to rest (adopted later by Romans). I cannot picture a phalanx running in a mad dash at the enemy. It would lose all cohesion. Even at the best of times with experienced troops, to maintain a proper phalanx was difficult. So, the Greeks must have advanced, but not at a break-neck speed. Where was the cavalry? hard to say...some say the horses were still on the ship and had not the time to deploy. Others say that it was a moot point, because the Greek javlineers (which must have been numerous if each hoplite had a slave to attend) could easily deal with the Persian light cavalry. In addition, the terrain limited the Persian mobility. I would say that the Persians were surprised, only by the fact that the Greeks did not stop to redress their lines. Some state that a small contigent of Greek warriors advanced ahead of the main battle line and were cutoff/destroyed. To suggest that the Persians were running madly about their campfires looking for weapons may be presumptous. Interesting…I agree that the Greeks must have surprised the Persians, but to what extent is hard to say. Would be hard to believe that a Persian comander did not place pickets and some rudimentary fortification in front of their camp. The phalanx depicted in your picture would not be a greek phalanx at the time of Marathon. Your picture shows a Macedonian phalanx which Philip the one-eye developed using the Sarissa pike. The Greeks at the time of Marathon would have used a phalanx of not more than 8 men/ranks deep. In battle, the front rank would use a underhand stab technique to go after the groin of those in front of them, while the 2nd rank would use an overhand stab technique over the shoulders of those in the 1st rank to go after the face/shoulders of the enemy. Battle would last for a minute or so, with pauses in between. This would give the phalanx time to shift fresh hoplites to the front and give those recently fighting time to rest (adopted later by Romans). I cannot picture a phalanx running in a mad dash at the enemy. It would lose all cohesion. Even at the best of times with experienced troops, to maintain a proper phalanx was difficult. So, the Greeks must have advanced, but not at a break-neck speed. Where was the cavalry? hard to say…some say the horses were still on the ship and had not the time to deploy. Others say that it was a moot point, because the Greek javlineers (which must have been numerous if each hoplite had a slave to attend) could easily deal with the Persian light cavalry. In addition, the terrain limited the Persian mobility. I would say that the Persians were surprised, only by the fact that the Greeks did not stop to redress their lines. Some state that a small contigent of Greek warriors advanced ahead of the main battle line and were cutoff/destroyed. To suggest that the Persians were running madly about their campfires looking for weapons may be presumptous.

]]> By: senthil http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-21675 senthil Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:11:40 +0000 http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-21675 Nice post.. Do you have any info on alexander and his mission to conquer the world? He came till Greater india (ie present day pakistan), and after that, its not known widely.. Nice post.. Do you have any info on alexander and his mission to conquer the world?

He came till Greater india (ie present day pakistan), and after that, its not known widely..

]]> By: Scott Thong http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-16919 Scott Thong Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:31:34 +0000 http://unitedcats.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/the-battle-of-marathon/#comment-16919 Hey, I was just reading through the Wikipedia entry for the battle the other day... Who says only the Spartans know how to kick invader butt? Noticed the pic at the top of the post too. Phalanxes rock! They still would today if energy shields and lightsaber-tipped spears were invented. http://scottthong.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/the-macedonian-phalanx/ Hey, I was just reading through the Wikipedia entry for the battle the other day… Who says only the Spartans know how to kick invader butt?

Noticed the pic at the top of the post too. Phalanxes rock! They still would today if energy shields and lightsaber-tipped spears were invented.

http://scottthong.wordpress.com/2007/05/21/the-macedonian-phalanx/

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