The Athenians army under General Miltiades defeats the powerful Persian army of Darius I on September 12, 490 BCE, at the battle of Marathon during the first Persian invasion of Greece. The Athenian army successfully fought using primarily spears and large round bronze shields in tight formations called phalanxes.
When the shields were locked together they created a nearly impenetrable wall of bronze. Persian infantry, such as the “Immortals,” typically wore wicker shields and linen tunics, which were ineffective against Greek spears.
