Marathon without the Marble

Marathon without the Marble examines the campaign of 490 BCE, the experience of battle, and the political ownership of its memory. Beginning with Herodotus’ account of Epizelus, the survivor who lost his sight, the narrative asks what a celebrated victory can conceal about those who experienced it. Command disagreements, the battlefield, equipment, uneven support, the breaking center, pursuit at the ships, casualties, and subsequent suspicion form part of its inquiry. The Marathon Battle-Damage Protocol keeps the fighting connected to...