Tuesday, February 12, 2013

How far can you run?

During the Battle of Marathon the Greek runner called Pheidippides (that's a mouthful) had to run all the way from Marathon all the way to Sparta to seek help from the Spartans.

Why did the Athenians need help? Who were they fighting?


This week in history, Year 5 have been studying a little about Greek warfare and the video below may help answer your questions.


We looking forward to reading your interpretation of The Battle of Marathon.

Here are some of our pieces of writing, while the rest are in the comments:

My day in the battle

 

You know what I can’t stop thinking about….

Those weak Athenians won the battle of the marathon!  They could have done much better if the mighty strong Spartans were there (of which I am one.) Now everyone will think that they’re the greatest of them all!  I mean when have we ever been mean to them?  All we did is fight them in the Peloponnesian war and that’s about it!  How could they even fight with less men in their army!  We can’t just leave it as it is or else we will be called the weak Spartans in history! That will be an even bigger problem!
Emilia Hermecz 5B


 The battle of marathon (looking at it as a Spartan)

“I can’t believe those wimpy Athenians won the battle against the Persians, tell me all about it.” ordered the Spartan king.  So this is what happened.  The Persian invasion at Marathon took place on September 9, 490 BC. For eight days, the two armies stood challenging each other face to face. On the ninth day the Persians started to get ready. Facing Miltiades the commander in chief of the Athenian army to get his army of 10,000 Athenians and 1,000 Plataeans ready for battle. When the Persians saw the Athenians coming down on them without cavalry or archers and less in numbers, they thought them as an army of madmen running towards them in full armor according to the historian Herodotus. The Athenians were able to surround the Persians whose bows and short lances were no match for the strong spears of the Athenians. The feared Persians turned their backs and ran away as the Athenians chased them back to their ships resulting 192 Athenian deaths and 6,400 Persian deaths.  The Persians lost seven ships to the Athenians. However Miltiades and his Athenian army realized that the Persian fleet could sail and attack the undefended city of Athens. He called upon Phidippides to run to Athens to bring the news of victory and a warning of the approaching Persian ships. Phidippidesran a 26 mile run from Marathon to Athens, the first marathon ever, was successfully completed in about three hours. Phidippides was dying from exhaustion after fighting all day and completing the run. However he successfully warned the Athenians and when the Persian fleet arrived at Athens the Athenian soldiers were ready to protect their land. Seeing the prepared Athenian army the Persians turned and sailed back to Persia in defeat.  “How did they do that?” said the Spartan king puzzled.   

Taimoor 5B        

 
We Athenians stood assembled on the plain of Marathon, preparing to fight to the last man. We will fight against the outnumbered Persian army. We were aided by a small force from Plataea. We were surprised when we saw how many people were in the Persian army. We could not hope to face the superior Persian cavalry. But we still fought them. We were very fierce and ready to attack. We fought with anger but we thought we couldn’t beat them. So we called the Spartans and ask them for help but we thought they didn’t come. By the time they came we already won the Persians.We bet the Spartans felt jealous because they thought that we are weaker than them but we won the battle against the Persians.Spartans were a bit scared because they thought we were going to attack them once they saw how we attacked the Persians. We Athenians never knew that we could defeat the Persians but actually we could.

Bianca 5B

Ha. Those Athenians are going on a battle against the Persians, but they can’t  even beat us. Well we are have a religious party to thank the gods.  We will go and help the Athenians after midnight.  

Slave: The Athenians have defeated the Persians, Sire!

 What? That’s impossible. They can’t even beat us! Slave: Sire they also killed one of their kings.

Sire: [furiously saying] set the alarm they might attack us.

Athenian

We went to war with Persians.

 We went to the lake waiting at the hill for Persians to attack. We were there for four days waiting for them to attack. We heard there plan of going to Athens to attack. So we attacked them the war was for three hours. They lost 65000 men we lost 200 men. We did ask for Spartans help but they did not come. We marched home with victory we got there in a nick of time the Persians were there they wouldn’t dare attack so they went to Persia. We built a temple to celebrate.

Sadie Gordon 5B

 
Hello,

I’m one of the Athens and I just finished a battle it was hard to

fight with my heavy armour but I still had to try I felt dizzy while we were

fighting and I thought I would die so I ran to the back luckily no one saw me.

As I was 10th most strongest people don’t want me to leave,

so I wasn’t looking behind me someone came to attack me luckily while there put there sword up my friend came in front of me to save me and he

got killed he is brave. I ran to the front and noticed no one was fighting in the front so I stayed until I was okay and then I ran and started killing

people I killed about twenty then I ran back to the front after the war I was glad I was home and couldn’t         believe what I saw!!!

My friend got saved he was alive!!!!!!!! I was so happy he became the third strongest and I say he deserves it. Well that’s it I have to go to sleep for a new war tomorrow.

Areesha 5B

 The Marathon Battle

We thought we were doomed. When we were standing ready to fight we saw twice as many Persians but we thought maybe we would win. So we ran to the Persian army and started to fight. Then we realized that the Persian army’s weapons were useless. Soon the Persian army had less men then we had. The Persians were shocked that they were running back to their boats. They had gone to Athens and saw our army and freaked out. They couldn’t even land so they set back to Persia. Soon the Spartans arrived to battle but they were too late. We had killed them all. This was a victories victory for us.

Sahil 5B

 Hello I am a Spartan. I was surprised the Athenian army defeated the Persians. The Athenians only had 10’000 soldiers and the Persians had 80’000 soldiers. We were celebrating then an Athenian messenger said that they really needed help but we were celebrating so we said no. after the war was over we marched for a long time to marathon because we really wanted to see what a Persian soldier looked like. We saw a lot of Persians lying dead on the ground and now I know what a Persian soldier looks like. I am a bit concerned that the Persians might attack us and the Athenians won’t help us but I think we are going to win. Now I’m a bit scared of the Athenians because they might attack us and we will lose because they defeated the Persians.

Mohammed

5B

18 comments:

  1. A significant battle

    2000 years ago at 490 BC, it was a battle between the Persians and the ancient Greeks and it took place in Athens. The Persians planned to conquer the Ancient Greeks and make them their slaves but the ancient Greeks refused to be slaves so, that was when the battle began.
    There were 60,000 Persians and 20,000 Greeks. At half way the Greeks started to run out of breathe and Athens needed help.
    A guy named Pheidippides ran 150 miles from Athens to Sparta. When he got to Sparta he had told them about the battle and that Athens needed help but the Spartans refused because they were having a religious festival and would not stop until the full moon. While Pheidippides was running back to Athens, the Persian archery men started to shoot their arrows and it flew
    just over 100 yards, but it was useless because every time they shot it was bound to hit their own soldiers. Unlike the Persians the Athenians had great armor and the shield that they had as big and could cover them from their eye brow down to their knees.
    After they had reached the beach 6,400 Persian men and 192 Athenian men had collapsed, this was a great victory for the Athenians that they had won and the Persians had lost.
    While they were celebrating their win, Pheidippides had come back from Sparta to tell them what Sparta had said and before he could he could even finish, he died.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Athens. In the battle Marathon there were 60,000 Persians and we were 20,000.They were running towards Persians in full armor. The Athens ran out of breath before we even reached them.Athens needed help from the Spartans so They sent a Greek runner called Pheidippides, ran 150 miles all the way to Sparta to seek help. He told everything about the battle Marathon.The Spartans refused to help because the were celebrating a religious festival . Pheidippides ran back to Athens. On the way the Persians were shooting arrows.It flew 100 yards.Most of the arrows were hitting the Persians solders.The Athens had strong armor so the arrows were useless for the Athens unless if it hit the eye.6,400 Persians had died and 192 Athens died.The Athens had won now . Pheippides came back.He was so tired,He told everything what Spartans had said but he died before he could finish he died.After the battle had finished Spartans came after the full moon but the battle alredy was finished.The victory was for the Athens and the Persians had lost the battle.

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  3. I am Pheidippides a greek runner I was a important man in the battle of Marathon.I had to run 150 miles from Athens to sparta.I was their best runner so it was me to deliver the message.As soon as I reached sparta I found out that the spartens were having a religious festival.I was shocked but I had to run back to Athens to tell them the sad news.The way back was hard and I was super tiered.Then I finaly saw it the huge battle infront of me.OH NO!There was still alot to run and I was so tiered but I had to deliver the message.The way was dangerous arrows came hurling towards me and I was scared.There he was the general I ran to him but I was so tiered my heart stoped beating I couldn´t breathe anymore everything went black.


    THE END

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  4. In the year 490 BC, there was a great battle between the Persians and the Ancient Greeks and this battle took place in Athens. The Persians wanted to conquer Greece and make them their slaves but we had refused to become slaves and that is the reason behind the Battle Of Marathon.
    There were 30,000 Persian invaders against 11,000 of us .We had an army made of local villagers all loyal to Athens, 1,000 men each from 11 tribes and our commander was Miltiades. We needed help so Miltiades sent a runner, Pheidippides to Sparta. Pheidippides was a day runner, he could all day long, and he ran to Sparta which was 150miles in two days. But the Spartans were celebrating a religious festival and refused to come to help until after full moon. The Persians had started to pull their bow and arrows but the arrows were useless against us as we had a very great armor unlike the Persians.
    After we had reached the beach 6,400 of the Persians and 192 of us had died, this was a great victory for us. As for the Spartans they had come after the battle was finished .While we were celebrating over our victory, Pheidippides had died while coming back from Sparta to tell what the Spartans had said.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The Battle of Marathon
    It all started in bay marathon in September 490 b.c Darius was the king of Persia he decided to invade Greece. Darius made a huge army and navy. The Persians sent a runner called pheidippidies all the way to Sparta for some help. But the Spartans could not leave until full moon, so pheidippidies had to run all the way back just to tell them the news. Pheidippidies said ‘we won,’ but was so tired that he died from death the Persians tried to listen to what he was saying. The Spartans were on their way to Persia. But the Greeks could wait no longer and attacked the Persians. The Greeks ran towards their enemies, the Persians through arrows at the Greeks. The Greeks won 6400 Persians got killed but only 192 died. The Persian ran to their ships and tried to escape. They tried to go to Athens and capture the Greek women, children and old people living there.
    by:Areej

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  6. The Battle Of Marathon


    We had just received the news that the Persians had arrived at the bay of Marathon, to invade Athens. We armed ourselves and went to the bay of Marathon. We marched all the way to the bay, it was tiring, but at last we had arrived at the bay of Marathon where the Persians were waiting for us. When the Persians caught sight of us the Persian archers grasped their arrows and attacked. But we came charging at them, they were surprised that we were able to dodge their attacks. We then started to fight, the chief along with some of us went to battle the Persian leader. While we protected ourselves, it was no use because we were losing. Our chief sent a runner called Phedippides all the way to Sparta to ask for help. But when Phedippides reached Sparta, they refused to come because they were celebrating a religious festival and told to come after full moon. Phedippides ran back to Marathon to tell the chief about the bad news. By the time the Sprtans arrived it was too late for the Spartans to enjoy the glory. We then sent Phedippides to Athens to give the good news to the people of Athens.

    We won the battle by clever and smart tactics but sadly one hundred and ninety two hoplites had died from our army. By the time Phedippdes reached Athens and gave the good news to the people of Athens , he died of thirst and hunger.

    View of point: Hoplite

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  7. Battle of Marathon
    I was getting ready for battle with the Persians,I was wearing a helmet with two eye slits to see and a big shield to protect my body and all the other armor. We were in rows of eight and our
    shields were overlapping. I have been preparing
    for this my whole life! This is the battle!!
    Darius had decided to invade Greece so he had
    sent a huge, strong army and navy to attack
    the Athenians. The Persians had landed by bay Marathon. Us, the Athenians had sent a runner
    called pheidippides, to go to Sparta and ask for help. But the Spartans were busy celebrating a religious festival so they would not go until new moon, by the time the Spartans came it was too late. The Persian army were much larger than the Athenians army. But with clever tactics the
    Athenian hoplites had defeated the Persians.

    By: Camila Saldungaray


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  8. The Battle of Marathon
    I am a soldier from the Greek army, my name is Socratis. The Persian army attacked us last year so we wanted to ask Sparta for help. We sent a runner named Pheidippides to run all the way to Sparta to ask for help, but the Spartans were celebrating a religious festival and could not come back until full moon. Pheidippides came back to Athens with bad news so we had to fight on our own. As soon as the battle started near Marathon we used our special tactics, but it was not easy since the Persians had 30,000 men and we only had 11,000 men. We fought so hard and only lost 192 men but we killed 6,400 Persians and we won. When Pheidippides was asked to give the good news to the people in Athens he died of exhaustion before he could finish his sentence, we all felt very sad for Pheidippides. We had a great victory in 490 BC and we will never forget it.
    BY:SARA 5C

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  9. The Battle of Marathon

    The city of Athens was a thriving and wonderful city. It also had a very small army and no king or queen. Many other kings from far away eyed Athens as a prize colony to add to their kingdoms. So one day the far away Asian country of Persia took action and sent their army out to capture Athens!!!
    September 49 BC
    Darius was the king of the Persians he wanted to take over Athens. He sent a huge army and navy to attack Athens. The Persians landed on the bay of marathon. There were 3000 Persians and only 1100 Athenians. So Athens sent a runner called Pheidppides to run from Athens to Sparta ... but Sparta refused march until the full moon and he was told to run back to Athens and tell them the bad news. So Athens stood alone. We set of hoplite next to hoplite, brother next to brother!!!!! We finally were face to face with Persia. We waited for a sign to tell us attack but the captain didn't so we waited and waited ................... finally we marched, the Persians shot there arrows it looked like it was haling arrows! Thankfully we weren't hurt because of our armor (A shield, spear and helmet) suddenly we started to run. We were running through a line of Persians. after a while they started to run back to the ship and heed to Athens but we were still ready to fight .We got there just on time so they ran away and never came back .Pheidppides was sent to run back to Athens and speak the good news but shouted "We won " and then dropped dead.
    BY: Nancy Hakam 5C

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  10. The battle of Marathon

    2000 years ago at 490 BC, The Persians planned to conquer the Ancient Greeks and make them their slaves but the ancient Greeks refused to be slaves so they started a battle. There were 60,000 Persians and 20,000 Greeks. At half way the Greeks started to run out of breathe and Athens needed help. Pheidippides ran 150 miles from Athens to Sparta. When he got to Sparta he had told them about the battle and that Athens needed help but the Spartans didn't even care because they were having a religious festival and would not stop until the full moon. Pheidippides was running back to Athens, the Persian archery men started to shoot their arrows and it flew just over 100 yards. The Athenians won by clever tactics.6400 men died from the Persians and only 192. The Athenians had won and celebrated.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Battle of Marathon
    It all started at September 490 BC. Darius was the king of the Persian army that was heading for us and to take over the whole Athens. The Persian army had 11000 men and the we had 10000 men in there hoplites. I was ready for the battle with the Persians. I was wearing a helmet with two eye slits and a spear a hard shield. The Persians were here and we were ready to fight. We ran there and we had a man called Pheidippides, who was the best runner, so he ran off to Sparta to ask their help but the Spartians were busy celebrating there religious festival. Pheidippides had to run all the way back 150 miles and tell the news to Athens but then he was tired and had to get back to Sparta. When he reached there he was so exhausted and as a result, his heart stopped beating and then he died. We won the battle of Marathon. BY MURTAZA

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  12. I am an Athenian and I have been fighting in the great Battle of Marathon. We were truly outnumbered as our enemy the Persians had 30000 men and we had 11000 men. The Persians king Darius was going to conquer Greece but we would fight for Greece. Our disposed king Hippias went to Persia to ally with the Persians and get more powerful to regain his thrown. As the Persians sailed Hippias sailed with them, Hippias told the Persians were they should battle. As Hippias left the boat he had a coughing fit and spat out a tooth when he looked in the sand he could not find it. He thought this was a sign from the gods that he would not regain his land. Our leader Miltiades sent a day runner called Philippines to Sparta and when he got back he said that the Spartans would not come because they were having a religious festival. So we had to fight alone. It was a standoff, no one dared to move forward. Then some of the Persians started boarding the ships. It did not take to long for us to realise they were going to sail around the coast and attach the unprotected city of Athens. Miltiades said we had to risk it and attack now. We started marching towards the Persians when we were about 100 yards from the Persians we broke out in to a run because the men with bows started firing arrows at us. We started fighting but the men with arrows kept shooting even though they were bound to hit their own men. Soon the Persians started to retreat. Miltiades sent Philippines to tell of the victory. We marched very quickly to Athens. We arrived just in time as the Persians were sailing to the shore when the leader saw us he fled with his army. It was a great victory as the Persians lost 6400 men and we lost 192 men. Sadly Philippines died of exhaustion before he could finish telling his news.

    By Kate Pearey

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  13. The Battle of Marathon
    And so it happens!! My first battle, I’ve been waiting my whole life to fight for my country. It all happened in September 490 BC. Our leader Darius decided to take over Athens. We (Persians) arrived at the Eastern coast of Greece. We were there in 600 ships with nearly 30 000 men. We outnumbered the Athens. It’s been said that they send a runner named Phidippides to Spartan to ask for help. The Spartan would only fight after full moon which left the Athens to fight on their own. They had roughly 1000 men. And the battle began. We were all in full force in our armed clothes with spears and shields to protect us. With surprise the Athens started running towards us. The middle of their line quickly weakened and gave away, but in this craziness, our (Persians) sides were trapped and were slaughtered by the Greek. We started to panic and fled back to our ships. At the end the Greek won the battle, they took seven of our ships and killed many men.

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  14. Greeks vs. Persians
    As an Athenian soldier in 490 B C Stood arm with arm, Shield on shield and Speers rose in the air. 11,000 Men standing in one line, standing there waiting for the Persian army. Finally after all that standing, Lifting and wearing all that heavy armor. We saw the first troop of Persians. Then we found out that there were loads and more Persians than Greeks. So we sent an Olympic runner called Pheidippides to get help from the Spartans, but unfortunately they refused to come until full moon, because they were celebrating a religious festival. Pheidippides tried to tell us but he died before he could.

    By Mohamad Alshwaikh

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  15. 490BC, was the battle of Marathon against the Persians. The Persians were 60,000 and we were 20,000. The Persians wanted to conquer Greece and make us their slaves, but we refused , so that was when the battle of Marathon began. At halfway of the battle, the Persians were winning, so we needed help. We sent a runner named Pheidippides to run to Sparta and ask for help. He ran 150 miles to Sparta and asked for help, but the Spartans were celebrating a festival, and said no, not until the full moon so Pheidippides ran back to the battle, and before he could finish, he died from all that running. We understood Pheidippides and we knew we were on our own. We were winning after a little while and at last we won. The Spartans came at the full moon and realized that the battle was over and we won. The next day, the Persians returned with an even bigger army. They saw us, standing on the shore and they looked a little scared to land, so they turned around and left us alone for good. So we won victory!

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  16. welldone guys,great work these battles are awsome.

    ReplyDelete

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