Comments by "Emanon" (@Emanon...) on "Battle of Marathon | Animated History" video.

An insignificant battle only surpassed in its unimportance by its fame. Also: The democracy had slaves and less rights for women than the Persians
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@dimitriosvlissides5781 You're asking a lot of questions but not really providing any comment of substance = Malakia. Yes. Greece had slaves and women had less rights. Read a history book that isn't Greek and you'd know. Persians had slaves, sure, but not in the same systematic manner that Greece did. Need I remind you, as an example, that for every Spartan citizen soldier, there were 10 helots to support them? Not much would have changed if the Athenians had lost Marathon. They would simply have bent the knee, paid some taxes and be about their day. Just like everyone else in the Persian empire. Later they would have revolted and we'd be back to the beginning. Need I remind you that Athens was burned and 2/3 of Greece was occupied in the second war? What was the result of that? Exactly. Lastly. The Phillipides Marathon run is a legend. Or do you take every word from 500 BCE to be absolute truth? I await your factual reply. Preferably with less question marks. PS: You say "you" when mentioning Persia. I'm not Persian. Not even close. I'm Danish. I just happen to care about historical accuracy. And apparently I have a keener interest in your history than you do.
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@dimitriosvlissides5781 I'll extend you an olive branch. I was in Greece in 2016 for almost a year working with a medical NGO. I did it to try and alleviate the suffering of the refugees, and at the same time because of my outrage of how Greece was abandoned by the rest of Europe, while it was still struggling after an economic crisis. I can't think of a kinder and more hospitable people. Certainly more open and friendly than we are up here. It has been established historigraphy for a century that "original sources" such as Herodotus and later sources embellished and propagandized the events. It's a great insight into the culture and mindset of classical Greece, but not a tool for teaching history. With regards to slavery, rights and democracy: If only a group of people have absolute rights, the rest have none, then what is the difference between 1 absolute monarch a thousand leagues away or a 1000 absolute legislators a league away? Sure, many Countries/Empires had systematic slavery. Some still do today. Almost all Countries/ Empires have blood on their hands. The difference is how Greeks percieve themselves and the pride they take in the traditions of "liberty" and "democracy". Not a single person in Denmark is defending slavery from Viking raids. Even though Vikings had a much more egalitarian society compared to contemporary Christian Europe. Greek Democracy was a solid foundation, but was deeply flawed. No shame in admitting that. With regards to Marathon itself, as I said earlier, Athens was burned to a crisp and the larger part of Greece was conquered 20 years later. This didn't affect the culture, science or story of the region in the long run. 400 years of Turkish rule, apart from the whole Gyros/Kebab controversy, didn't either. So yes, I actually have proof that it was insignificant because the thing they wanted to prevent happeed 20 years later anyway. The Ionians were producing great works of math, science and art before, under and after Persian rule. This East vs West narrative is tiring, especially since you yourself admit that we can't ascribe modern values such as "clash of civilizations" to ancient events. Lastly, why do you consider Byzantium to be Greek? Apart from the language, what does it have in common with the proud traditions of "classical" Greece? Religion? No. They destroyed or converted your temples and later persecuted polytheists. Hence the word "demon" having the meaning it has today... Democracy? No. Absolute dynasties with more civil wars than most of us do laundry... Great works of philosophy, science and art? Not in the same extent or spirit. Unless you enjoyed the smell of your burning skin in a pyre. A very long diatribe and I apologize for that. Ancient Greece was awesome. No doubt of that. But it was a deeply flawed society. Women were treated poorly and the great warriors and philosophers could only do their craft because of the numberless slaves that were toiling every day. A great society in some ways too. Depends very much on the eye of the beholder. It doesn't make you any less justified in taking pride in your great heritage to be able to admit that.
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@dimitriosvlissides5781 All the best wishes! Whether it actually happened or not, "Molon Labe" is imho the greatest motto for any armed forces. Be well
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