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Miltiades

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For other uses, seeMiltiades (disambiguation).
Miltiades
Μιλτιάδης Κίμονος
Roman copy of Greek bust of Miltiades (original dating to 5th−4th century BC)
Eponymous archonofAthens
In office
524 – 523 BC
Preceded byCleisthenes
Succeeded byCalliades
TyrantofChersonese
In office
516 – 492 BC
Preceded byStesagoras
Personal details
Born550 BC
Athens
Died489 BC (aged 60-61)
Athens
SpouseHegesipyle of Thrace
ChildrenCimon
Elpinice
Metiochus
AwardsStatue of Nemesis by Pheidias
Military service
AllegianceAthens
Rankstrategos
Battles/wars

Miltiades(/mɪlˈtaɪəˌdiːz/;Greek:Μιλτιάδης Κίμωνος;c. 550 – 489 BC), also known asMiltiades the Younger,was aGreekAtheniancitizen known mostly for his role in theBattle of Marathon,as well as for his downfall afterwards. He was the son ofCimon Coalemos,a renownedOlympicchariot-racer,and the father ofCimon,the noted Athenian statesman.

Family[edit]

Miltiades was a well-born Athenian, and was accounted a member of theAeacidae,[1]as well as a member of the prominentPhilaidclan. He came of age during thetyrannyof thePeisistratids.

His family was prominent, due in good part to their success withOlympicchariot-racing.[1][2]Plutarchclaimed thatCimon,Miltiades' father, was known as "Coalemos", meaning "simpleton", because he had a reputation for being rough around the edges,[3]but whose three successive chariot-racing victories at the Olympics made him popular, so popular in fact that,Herodotusclaims, the sons of Peisistratos murdered him out of jealousy.[4]

Miltiades was named after his father's maternal half-brother,Miltiades the Elder,who was also a victor atOlympicchariot-racing.

Miltiades's sonCimonwas a majorAthenianfigure of the 470s and 460s BC. His daughterElpiniceis remembered for her confrontations withPericles,as recorded by Plutarch.

Tyrant of the Thracian Chersonese[edit]

Map ofThracian Chersonesus.Wikimedia Upload

Around 555 BC, Miltiades the Elder leftAthensto establish a colony on theThracian Chersonese(now theGallipoli Peninsula), setting himself up as a semi-autonomoustyrantunder the protection of Athens.[5]Meanwhile, despite alleged rumors that abounded that his father had been murdered by the city leaders, Miltiades the Younger rose through the ranks of Athens to becomeeponymous archonunder the rule of the Peisistratid tyrantHippiasin 524/23 BC.[6]

Miltiades the Elder was childless, so when he died around 520 BC,[7]his nephew, Miltiades the Younger's brother, Stesagoras, inherited the tyranny of the Chersonese. Four years later (516 BC), Stesagoras met his death by an axe to the head,[8]so the tyrantHippiassent Miltiades the Younger to claim his brother's lands.[9]Stesagoras' reign had been tumultuous, full of revolts[1]often led by the native Dolonci, who after the death of Miltiades the Elder were no longer inclined to serve under Greek rule[10],. Wishing to achieve stronger control over his lands than his brother had, Miltiades feigned mourning for his brother's death. When the men of rank from the Chersonese came to console him, he imprisoned them. He then ensured his power by employing 500 troops. He also made an alliance with KingOlorusofThraceby marrying his daughter, Hegesipyle.[11]

Persian vassal[edit]

Coinage of Miltiades in Thracian Chersonesos. Lion, head left, raising left forepaw, tail curled above. Head of Athena, wearing crested Attic helmet and earring, within incuse square. Circa 495-494 BC.

In around 513 BC,Darius I,the king of Persia, led a large army into the area, forcing the Thracian Chersonese into submission and making Miltiades avassalofPersianrule.[1]Miltiades joinedDarius' northern expeditionagainst theScythians,and was left with otherGreekofficers to guard a bridge across theDanube,which Darius had used to cross intoScythia.Miltiades later claimed that he had tried to convince the other officers to destroy the bridge and leave Darius and his forces to die, but the others were afraid, and Darius was able to recross,[12]though some historians are skeptical of this claim.[13][14]When the king heard of the planned sabotage, Miltiades' rule became a perilous affair and he had to flee around 511/510 BC. Miltiades joined theIonian Revoltof 499 BC against Persian rule, returning to the Chersonese around 496 BC. He established friendly relations with Athens by capturing the islands ofLemnosandImbrosand ceding them to Athens, which had ancient claims to these lands.[15][16]

Return to Athens[edit]

Miltiades, Roman copy of 5th century original.

The Ionian Revolt collapsed in 494 BC, and in 493 BC Miltiades and his family fled to Athens in five ships to escape a retaliatory Persian invasion.[n 1]

Upon his return to Athens, Miltiades would have returned to a city Much changed. Athens was no longer a Tyranny, as the Athenians had overthrown the Peisistratids 15 years previously, Since then Athens had establisheddemocracyas the new form of governance. Thus, Miltiades initially faced a hostile reception for his tyrannical rule in theThracian Chersoneseand was put on trial.[1]His trial was further complicated by the politics of his aristocratic rivals (he came from thePhilaidclan, traditional rivals of the powerfulAlcmaeonidae) and the general Athenian mistrust of a man accustomed to unfettered authority. However, Miltiades successfully presented himself as a defender of Greekfreedomsagainst Persiandespotism.He also promoted the fact that he had been a first-hand witness to Persian tactics, which was useful knowledge considering the Persians were bent on destroying the city. Thus, Miltiades escaped punishment and was allowed to rejoin his old countrymen.[18]It was by Miltiades' advice that the Persian heralds who came to Athens to demandearth and wateras tokens of submission were put to death.[19]

Battle of Marathon[edit]

Main article:Battle of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon, Source: United States Military Academy

Miltiades is often credited with devising the tactics that defeated the Persians at theBattle of Marathon.[20]Miltiades was elected to serve as one of the ten generals (strategoi) for 490 BC. In addition to the ten generals, there was one 'war-ruler' (polemarch),Callimachus,who had to decide—with the ten generals evenly split, five to five—whether to attack the Persians who had landed atMarathonunder the command ofDatis,or wait to fight them closer to Athens.[21]

Miltiades, as the general with the most experience in fighting the Persians to that point, was firm in insisting that the Persians be fought immediately, as a siege of Athens would lead to its destruction. He convinced Callimachus to use his decisive vote in favor of a swift attack.[22][n 2]He is quoted as saying "I believe that, provided the Gods will give fair play and no favor, we are able to get the best of it in the engagement."[22]

Miltiades also convinced the other generals of the necessity of not using the customary tactics of usinghoplitesarrayed in an evenly distributedphalanxarmed withshieldsandspears,tactics otherwise not deviated from for 100 years, until the time ofEpaminondas.[n 3]Miltiades feared thecavalryof the Persians attacking theflanks,and asked for more hoplites to be stationed there than in the centre.[25]He ordered the two tribes in the centre, the Leontis tribe led byThemistoclesand the Antiochis tribe led byAristides,to be arrayed to a depth of four ranks while the rest of the tribes, on their flanks, were arrayed in eight ranks.[26][27]Miltiades also had his men march to the end of the Persian archer range, called the "beaten zone", then break out in a run straight at the Persian army.[25]

Miltiades fighting the Persians at theBattle of Marathon,in theStoa Poikile(reconstitution)

These tactics were successful in defeating the Persians, who then tried to sail around theCape Sounionand attackAtticafrom the west.[28]Miltiades got his men to quickly march to the western side of Attica overnight and block the two exits from the plain of Marathon, to prevent the Persians moving inland.Datisfled at the sight of the soldiers who had just defeated him the previous evening.[28]

One theory for the Greek success in the battle is the lack of Persian cavalry. The theory is that the Persian cavalry left Marathon for an unspecified reason, and that the Greeks moved to take advantage of this by attacking. This theory is based on the absence of any mention of cavalry in Herodotus' account of the battle, and an entry in theSudadictionary. The entryχωρὶς ἱππεῖς( "without cavalry" ) is explained thus:

The cavalry left. When Datis surrendered and was ready for retreat, the Ionians climbed the trees and gave the Athenians the signal that the cavalry had left. And when Miltiades realized that, he attacked and thus won. From there comes the above-mentioned quote, which is used when someone breaks ranks before battle.[29]

Expedition at Paros[edit]

"Helmet of Miltiades". The helmet was given as an offering to thetemple of ZeusatOlympiaby Miltiades. Inscription on the helmet: ΜΙΛΤΙΑΔΕΣ ΑΝΕ[Θ]ΕΚΕΝ [Τ]ΟΙ ΔΙ ( "Miltiades dedicates this helmet to Zeus" ).[30]Archaeological Museum of Olympia.

The following year (489 BC), Miltiades led an Athenian expedition of seventy ships against the Greek-inhabited islands that were deemed to have supported the Persians. The expedition was not a success. His true motivations were to attackParos,feeling he had been slighted by them in the past.[31]The fleet attacked the island, which had been conquered by the Persians, but failed to take it. Miltiades suffered a grievous leg wound during the campaign and became incapacitated. His failure prompted an outcry on his return toAthens,enabling his political rivals to exploit his fall from grace. Charged withtreason,he was sentenced to death, but the sentence was converted to a fine of fiftytalents.He was sent to prison where he died, probably ofgangrenefrom his wound. The debt was paid by his sonCimon.[32]

Statue[edit]

Pheidiaslater erected in Miltiades' honour, in the temple of the goddess atRhamnus,a statue ofNemesis,the deity whose job it was to bring sudden ill fortune to those who had experienced an excess of good. The statue was said to have been made from marble provided by Datis for amemorialto the Persians' expected victory.[32]

Stoa Poikile[edit]

Aeschineswrites that although Miltiades wanted his name to be written in theStoa Poikile,the Athenians refused. Instead of writing his name they had him painted in the front rank, urging the soldiers.[33]This Painting was then placed in the Stoa as one of four paintings depicting great battles, such a painting of TheSack of Troyand trial ofAjax the Lesser,by Polygnotus[34]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^One ship, carrying his son Metiochos, was captured by the Persianfleetand Metiochos was made a lifelong prisoner, but was nonetheless treated honourably as ade factomember of the Persian nobility.[17]
  2. ^In Herodotus's account, Miltiades is keen to attack the Persians (despite knowing that the Spartans are coming to aid the Athenians), but strangely, chooses to wait until his actual day of command to attack.[23]
  3. ^At theBattle of Leuctra.[24]

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdeCreasy (1880)
  2. ^Herodotus. (2009).The landmark Herodotus: the histories.Strassler, Robert B., 1937-, Purvis, Andrea L. (First Anchor books ed.). New York: Anchor Books. p. 6.35.ISBN9781400031146.OCLC264043716.
  3. ^Plutarch "Lives" William and Joseph Neal edition, (1836), p.338
  4. ^Herodotus. (2009).The landmark Herodotus: the histories.Strassler, Robert B., 1937-, Purvis, Andrea L. (First Anchor books ed.). New York: Anchor Books. p. 6.103.ISBN9781400031146.OCLC264043716.
  5. ^Debra Hamel (2012) "Reading Herodotus: A Guided Tour Through the Wild Boars, Dancing Suitors, and Crazy Tyrants of 'The History'" JHU Press, p.182
  6. ^C.W.J.Elliot and Malcolm F. McGregor (1960) "Kleisthenes: Eponymous Archon 525/4 BC" Phoenix, Vol 14, No. 1
  7. ^Hamel (2012) ibid
  8. ^Herodotus, lib vi. c. 38
  9. ^Sara Forsdyke (2009) "Exile, Ostracism, and Democracy: The Politics of Expulsion in Ancient Greece" Princeton University Press p.123
  10. ^"Thracian Chersonese | Black Sea, Byzantium, Greek Colonies | Britannica".britannica.Retrieved2024-06-12.
  11. ^Herodotus, lib vi. c. 39
  12. ^Rice, Earle (15 September 2011).The Battle of Marathon.Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc.ISBN9781612281599– via Google Books.
  13. ^Burn, A. R. (1982).The Pelican History of Greece.London: Penguin. p. 160.
  14. ^Hammond, N. G. L. (1970).Oxford Classical Dictionary (Second ed.).Oxford University Press. pp.688.ISBN0-19-869117-3.
  15. ^J.A.S. Evans(1963) "Notes on Miltiades' Capture of Lemnos" Classical Philology, Vol. 58, No. 3, pp.168-170
  16. ^Creasy (1880) pg. 10
  17. ^Herodotus, lib vi. c. 41
  18. ^Herodotus, lib vi, c.104
  19. ^Pausanias 3.12.7
  20. ^Creasy (1880) pg. 11–20
  21. ^Creasy (1880) pg. 11
  22. ^abHerodotus vi.109.
  23. ^HerodotusVI, 110
  24. ^Creasy (1880) pg. 380
  25. ^abCreasy (1880) pg. 23
  26. ^Plutarch,Aristides,V
  27. ^HerodotusVI, 111
  28. ^abCreasy (1880) pg. 26
  29. ^Suda,entryWithout cavalry
  30. ^Chrysopoulos, Philip (2 June 2020)."The Awe-Inspiring Helmet of Legendary Ancient Greek Warrior Miltiades".Greek Reporter.Retrieved1 September2020.
  31. ^Creasy (1880) pg. 27
  32. ^abCreasy (1880) pg. 28
  33. ^"Aeschines, Against Ctesiphon, section 186".perseus.tufts.edu.
  34. ^Wycherley, R. E. (1957)."Literary and Epigraphical Testimonia".The Athenian Agora.3:iii.doi:10.2307/3601955.ISSN1558-8610.

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

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