When the Persians threatened Athens, Miltiades, an Athenian general, was chosen as one of the ten generals of the Athenian land forces. In the summer of 490 BC, the Persians landed at Marathon. Miltiades waited for a favourable moment to attack, and when the Persian army was off guard, he struck. Charging one and a half kilometres across the Marathon plain, Miltiades’ forces engaged the Persian infantry, killing some 6,400 men and capturing seven ships at a cost of only 192 Athenian dead. The rest of the Persian force quickly embarked, and put out to sea. Sadly, Miltiades was later accused of treason, and sentenced to death.
