Rory Headren

The Shield of Marathon Rory Headren

At the Battle of Marathon, Attica, in 490 BC, only tiny Plataea answered the call to all Hellenes for reinforcements, sending her entire army to fght side by side with Athens and her allies, thus for all time sharing the glory of that miraculous day when their greatly outnumbered forces defeated a mighty Persian army. All those who'd made their lasting sacrifice at Marathon were forever remembered on a roll of honour.

Foremost on this list of martyrs was the name of Agristones, saviour of the Athenian general Miltiades; hero of Marathon. Using his own shield to protect Miltiades from the Persian swords beating down on him, Agristones' body was cut to pieces but Miltiades lived to win the battle, save Athens, and the valued freedoms of Hellas.

This same hoplon of battle scarred bronze, the remnants of which still survived beneath its heavy adornment of gold plates and precious stones, was housed in the Temple of Athena, an idolised and sacred relic, venerated not only by Plataeans, but by all Hellenes.

In 431 BC, war reached the walls of Plataea, and 'The Shield' became a much sought after prize by powerful, unscrupulous men, and an ambitious woman, to be used for their own ends.

This story follows the first seven years of the devastating Peloponnesian War, and the desperate struggle of the Plataeans for survival - against friends and foes.