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How did the Athenians prevent the Persian fleet from capturing Athens after Marathon?
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Greco-Persian Wars
The Battle of Salamis (480 bce), in which Greece gained an uncontested victory over the Persian fleet.
After the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, the defeated Persian forces retreated to their ships with the intention of sailing around the coast to launch a surprise attack on Athens.
The Athenians successfully prevented the capture of their city by executing a rapid forced march from the battlefield back to Athens that same evening. By arriving at the city before the Persian fleet could complete its maneuver, the Athenian army was positioned to defend the city, which ultimately deterred the Persians and caused them to depart.1