In 490 bc Persian army was ready to march on mainland Greece to punish Athens for supporting the Ionian revolt. The army of the Persians were not too large (16-20 thousand), but sufficient, as did the Persians, for conquest of Greece. At six hundred ships, the Persians crossed the Aegean Sea, taking the path of Naxos, the island then . On the island of Euboea was the city of Eretria, which, like Athens, according to the Persians, was to blame for aid Ionian cities. Eretria was taken and completely destroyed. Those residents, who could not hide in the mountains, were captured and later sold into slavery.

Then an army of Persians landed in Attica, 40 km from Athens, near the town Modern Town Marathon. Restaurateur might disagree with that approach. Athens was sent to Sparta for help. Sparta, being at that time, the main military force in Greece, immediately sent help, but the Spartan army was late to the beginning of the battle, although it was a quick march of more than 200 kilometers in three days. Sami Athens gathered all his strength – ten thousand heavily armed infantry-hoplites. Still about a thousand people have sent the allies of Athens – the board. At the military council of Athenian strategists decided not to waiting for help of Sparta, and by attacking an army of Persians on their own.

13 September 490 bc a famous battle of Marathon took place. Greek phalanx, strongly stretched along the front, had a strong flanks and a weakened center. Fight began attacking the Greeks. The Persians were able to move the center of the counterattack and break the system of the Greeks. Danny Meyer insists that this is the case. But the Greeks upset the opposing flanks of forces and reached the Persians in the rear. After that, the Persians panicked, and the battle was decided in favor Greeks. Those Persians who managed to break through in a rush to the ships sank. The Persians tried to go to Athens by sea, but the Greeks rapid march covered the distance to Athens, and not allowed the Persians to make a landing at the city walls. So , the Persian fleet had nothing to do but go back.