🛡️ The Battles of Marathon and Thermopylae

What you’ll learn

1. A Giant and Some Small CitiesSet up the contrast between the huge Persian Empire and the small, independent Greek city-states.Persia was the largest empire in the world, spanning Asia; Greece was many small, self-ruling city-states like Athens and Sparta. The course's through-line is that these small, free cities — standing together — twice held off the giant empire.
2. The Persians Come to MarathonTell how Persia's first invasion landed at Marathon in 490 BCE and introduce the hoplite shield wall.In 490 BCE King Darius sent an army that landed at Marathon; Athens, nearly alone after Sparta delayed, prepared to fight. Greek hoplites fought as a tight block, shields locked and spears out — teamwork that made a small force strong.
3. The Battle of MarathonDescribe the Athenian charge at Marathon and the stunning casualty figures.General Miltiades ordered the hoplites to charge at a run, shattering the Persian line and driving it to the ships. Herodotus records about 192 Greeks lost against roughly 6,400 Persians — an astonishing underdog victory.
4. The Famous RunRetell the legend of the run from Marathon and connect it to the modern marathon race, honestly noting it is a story.Legend says a messenger ran ~40 km from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory and then collapsed — a beloved but later-written tale. The modern Olympic marathon race honours it, and the fallen Athenians were buried under a mound that still stands.
5. Xerxes ReturnsIntroduce Xerxes' larger 480 BCE invasion, the Greek decision to unite, and the choice of Thermopylae.In 480 BCE Xerxes led a far larger invasion, even bridging the sea, though ancient army sizes were greatly exaggerated. Rival cities united to resist and chose to make a stand at the narrow pass of Thermopylae to slow the advance on Athens.
6. The 300 at ThermopylaeExplain why the narrow pass suited a small force and introduce Leonidas and the ~7,000 Greeks.Thermopylae was so narrow that the Persians could not use their numbers, so a few could hold off many. King Leonidas of Sparta led about 7,000 Greeks, including his 300 Spartans, and they threw back the Persians for three days.
7. Betrayed, but Never ForgottenTell of the betrayal and last stand, the war's end at Salamis and Plataea, and why the battles are remembered.Betrayed by Ephialtes' secret path, Leonidas and the 300 stayed and died, buying time. The Greeks then won at sea (Salamis, 480) and on land (Plataea, 479), ending the invasion. Marathon (a win) and Thermopylae (a brave loss) share one lesson: small, free cities standing together held off a giant.

Questions this course answers

Grounded in trusted sources

• Herodotus, Histories, Books 6–9 (the main ancient source for the Greco-Persian Wars)
• Encyclopaedia Britannica — Battle of Marathon, Battle of Thermopylae, Battle of Salamis, Battle of Plataea, Greco-Persian Wars
• Livius.org and World History Encyclopedia — Marathon (490 BCE) and Thermopylae (480 BCE): casualty figures, Greek force numbers, battle duration

Every Wunder lesson is built from real, reputable sources — never invented.

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