gouldyiv:Miltiades’ HelmetMiltiades was an Athenian commander, nobleman and politician, perhaps most
gouldyiv:Miltiades’ HelmetMiltiades was an Athenian commander, nobleman and politician, perhaps most well known for his role in the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490BCE. Now realised as one of the main tacticians during this Battle, Miltiades managed to convince the other nine generals not to march into battle in the usual hoplite phalanx formation, as he feared the Persian cavalry would attack their flanks. Instead, Miltiades had more hoplites march on either flank than in the centre, whether he knew the centre was now much weaker, we can’t be sure. The military genius also had his men run approximately a mile across the plain toward the Persian army, whose flanks quickly began to give way. The Persians counter-charged the Athenian army, successfully breaking through the weak centre. At this point, the Athenians abandon their pursuit and begin to close in on the Persian flanks, successfully enveloping the Persian army.After the battle, the victorious Miltiades is said to have dedicated his helmet to Zeus, with the inscription on the inside reading “Miltiades dedicated to Zeus”. -- source link