Miltiades (550–489 BCE)

Question 1

Who was Miltiades?

Answer 1

A prominent Athenian general known for leading Athens to victory at the Battle of Marathon.

Question 2

What was Miltiades’ most famous achievement?

Answer 2

His strategic leadership during the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE.

Question 3

In which battle did Miltiades lead the Athenian forces to victory?

Answer 3

The Battle of Marathon.

Question 4

Which empire did Miltiades help defend Greece against?

Answer 4

The Persian Empire.

Question 5

Miltiades was born into what type of family?

Answer 5

A wealthy and influential Athenian family known as the Philaids.

Question 6

What title did Miltiades hold in the Greek colony of Chersonese?

Answer 6

He was the tyrant of Chersonese.

Question 7

How did Miltiades’ military tactics at Marathon impact the battle?

Answer 7

He used the terrain and an innovative phalanx formation to outflank and defeat the larger Persian army.

Question 8

What period of Greek history did Miltiades live in?

Answer 8

The time of the Greco-Persian Wars, around 550–489 BCE.

Question 9

How did Miltiades’ victory at Marathon influence future Greek warfare?

Answer 9

It demonstrated the importance of tactical ingenuity over sheer numbers, influencing future military strategies.

Question 10

After the Battle of Marathon, what happened to Miltiades’ reputation?

Answer 10

He was celebrated as a hero, but later faced disgrace after a failed military campaign.

Question 11

What happened to Miltiades after his failed naval expedition?

Answer 11

He was fined, imprisoned, and later died from an injury sustained during the campaign.

Question 12

What was the significance of the Battle of Marathon for Greece?

Answer 12

It preserved Greek independence and halted Persian expansion into Europe.

Question 13

How is Miltiades remembered today?

Answer 13

As a great military strategist and a key figure in the defense of Greece during the Persian Wars.

Question 14

Who was Miltiades’ famous son?

Answer 14

Cimon, a successful Athenian general and statesman.

Question 15

Why was Miltiades fined and imprisoned later in life?

Answer 15

For failing in a naval campaign against islands that had supported Persia.

Question 16

What long-distance race is named after the famous battle Miltiades won?

Answer 16

The marathon, named after the Battle of Marathon.

Question 17

What role did Miltiades play in Athenian politics?

Answer 17

He was elected as one of the ten strategoi (generals) of Athens.

Question 18

How did Miltiades’ upbringing influence his career?

Answer 18

He came from a politically powerful family and inherited the leadership of the Chersonese colony.

Question 19

What military formation did Miltiades innovate during the Battle of Marathon?

Answer 19

He used a thin center phalanx formation to envelop the Persian forces.

Question 20

Miltiades’ name means what in Greek?

Answer 20

Red earth.

Question 21

What Persian king was Miltiades fighting against at the Battle of Marathon?

Answer 21

King Darius I of Persia.

Question 22

What is an interesting fact about Miltiades’ escape from the Persians?

Answer 22

He was captured but managed to escape before execution.

Question 23

What year was the Battle of Marathon?

Answer 23

490 BCE.

Question 24

Fill in the blank: The Greek messenger Pheidippides is said to have run from ____ to Athens after the battle.

Answer 24

Marathon.

Question 25

Why was the victory at Marathon important for Athens specifically?

Answer 25

It preserved Athens’ democracy and boosted its position among the Greek city-states.

Question 26

Which famous historian wrote about Miltiades and the Battle of Marathon?

Answer 26

Herodotus.