Battle of Salamis and Miltiades

Miltiades biggest contribution was to the battle at Marathon which was considered a significant impact on the Persian wars. It was in the battle at Marathon where he showed both witt and skill against the Persian army. He was considered valuable to the athenians because of his former close relations with the Persian army, which meant he knew there tactics and there ways to which they fought in battle. The Athenians made Miltiades 10th Commander to which each day starting from commander one every commander would be given a chance to be in charge of the army. It was Miltiades who saw the fact that the Persian cavalary wasnt their as an advantage and to which could result in victory if the Athenian army attacked early. So Miltiades convinced Calimuchus the Polemarh to confront the Persian army and give him command. Miltiades battle tactics were both thoughtful and strategic as he used what he had learnt about the Persians against them with both ingenious and thoughful ideas. He made use of the terrain by placing his army on the top of the hill so that they had the higher ground and the best spot for when they made there way down hill so they were less tired and exhausted. It was said to be Miltiades who convinced the generals not to use their customary tactics of which hoplites (soldiers of greek cities) normally marched in an evenly distributed phanlanx of shields and spears. Miltiades was the one who had this great idea of attacking while the cavalary was not around. He knew that the Persians had there flanks set out that the strongest soldiers where in the middle of th e flank and the weakest on the outer flanks, so Miltiades devised this cunning plan to swap it around for his army. He made the strongest soldiers as the outer flanks and the weakest in the middle, so when it came to the fight the strongest soldiers could encirle the persian flanks and cause them distress and penick. His other contribution in the battle at Marathon tactics was the fact that he knew