Gilpin observer., 1917-07-19
Battles Which Made the World
MARATHON
and ain Ancient
By CAPT. ROLAND F. ANDREWS
toop,nsh. ,sl7 BY Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,

Two thousand four hundred and
seven years ago the greatest military
power OF the time menaced the ex-
lstence of human liberty as does the
greatest military power of today.
The great power was overwhelmed, its
forces shattered and Europe pre-
served in a single battle, that of Mar
athon, fought 400 B. G. Had the
Athenians failed in this great fight
Europe would have been overrun by
the Medes and the Persians. The
course Of the world would have been
turned into the hands of the Asiatics.
Called upon suddenly to fight for
their national existence, the men OF
Athens found themselves in posi-
ton singularly like that of Ameri-
cans today. They had only tiny
army and they had a host of law
makers to debate the manner in which
that army should be organized and d.
rected. While every free Greek was
compulsorily trained in military duty,
the muster roll Of Athenian citizens fit
for military duty never exceeded 3d.
900. 1t is estimated that at Marathon
the Greek forces numbered not more
than 1900. Against this the great
king, Darius, sent a host of 10000.
The odds seemed hopeless. Yet the
II 900 warriors of an aroused and des-
perate nation drove ton times their
number literally into the sea.
Darius, not unlike the Wilhelm OF
today, had sent heralds to Greece,
declaring that he, "the lord of all men
from the rising to the setting sum-"
required earth and water to be deliv-
cred to the heralds as symbol that he
was head and master Of the country.
In large part Greece submitted. Ath-
ems and Sparta hurled back defiance
and stoned the heralds in the market
place. Then they prepared to fight.
The great Asiatic army, voyaging
in more than 1900 vessels, was COM
manded by Datis, one of the ablest
generals of antiquity. Fighting and
winning easily one or two smaller en-
gagements, this savage leader. making
announcement that the entire popula-
ton of Greece would be led into Asia
to hear its doom from the lips Of the
great king, himself, finally landed on
the eastern coast at Marathon. Behind
him were islands already conquered.
His galleys covered the beach and the
neighboring seas. On the mountain be-
fore him were the II 900 Greeks, theft
ten generals and one war ruler. at
tempting to decide in council whether
1t were better to attack, to retreat or
to wait for re-enforcements from Spar
ta. Sparta had promised assistance,
but the Persians had landed on the
sixth day of the moon, and religious
scruples prevented the march Of the
Spartan troops until the moon should
have reached its full. There We're paci-
fists, actuated by religious scruples,
even in ancient Greece.
The ten generals. elected, after the
Greek custom, for one year each, di-
vided equally. Five were for fight and
five were for delay. Upon the vote
of the polemarch, or war ruler, one
Callimachus, hinged the decision. He
hesitated even as the presidents and
congresses of modern times sometimes
hesitate.
But among the five generals eager for
fight was Miltiades, n man of record
none too savory and afterward to meet
with more than little of eXecration,
but a military genius, man of fiery
IL INSCRIPTIONS energy and fighter
from his sandals to his crown. Said
this Miltiades (Herodotus sets down
his words):
ut now rests with you, CALI
machus, either to enslave Athens or,
by assuring her freedom, to win your
self an Immortality of fame. Never
since he Athenians were people
were they in such danger. If they
bow the knee to these Medes they
are to be given up to Hippias, and you
know what that means. If we do not
bring on a battle presently some fac
tious intrigue will dlsunite the
Athenians and the city will be betrayed
to the Medes. But If we fight before
there is anything rotten In the state Of
Athens, l believe that, provided the
gods will give fair plnv and no favor,
we are able to get the best Of 1t In
an engagement"
Said Callimachus, slowly: eve
fight"
1t was the law that the Greek gen.
erals should take turns mt, army COM
mand day by day. Miltiades waited
for the day. 1t was also the custom
for the warriors OF each Greek tribe
TO fight in body under their own gen
eral. Their line consisted wholly Of
heavy armed spearmen bearing spear
shield and short sword. for the Greeks
Of that period set little store by light
armed troops save for skirmishing.
They usually advanced slowly and
steadily into action in uniform
phalanx about eight spears deep. For
Marathon, however, Miltiades, who
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