Behind the Images
In 499 BC the Ionian Greeks of Asia Minor rebelled against the growing might of the Persian Empire. In an act of defiance their united armies, supported by troops from Athens and Eretria, marched on Sardis, the powerful center of Persian power in Asia Minor. They burnt it to the ground along with its temples.
The wrath of Darius the Great, the king of Persia, was swift and merciless. In 497 BC he sent three expeditions against the Ionians, intent on crushing the rebels and restoring order. However, pacifying the Ionian Greeks wasn’t enough for the ‘King of kings’. He turned his gaze to the West, across the Aegean Sea, where he found the proud city of Athens…
Philippos
494 BC
They carried grave news to Athens. The alliance of Ionians has fallen. Miletus was lost, burnt to the ground, its people killed or enslaved by the Persians. The great naval battle of Lade ended up in a disaster, ending the Ionian revolt. Philippos took what ships he could save and headed back to mainland Greece, to join Nikephoros. With heavy heart, he watched the approaching shores of Attika. How long before the Persians get here too? How long before Athens burn?
Nikephoros
491 BC
Before the sacrifices began, he allowed himself a short private moment with the god. He knelt beneath Zeus’ stern bronze gaze. The thoughts of prayer faded from his mind, replaced once again by the worries of impending war. The Persian beast was finally moving. One by one, the cities of Ionia either fell or submitted to Darius’ might.
‘Give us strength, in the days to come,’ was all that his worried thoughts were able to repeat, over and over. ‘Give us strength, to stop what’s coming.’
Behnam
490 BC
‘Look!’ came a hopeful shout from the front of the line. ‘The ships have come!’
After a few moments, even Behnam could now spot the magnificent sails towering above the dunes. With that view came a gust of wind, with an unmistakable smell of sea. His heart soared.
Traversing the desert for many days, he and his Persian company finally reached the shores of Cilicia. There, part of his majesty’s magnificent fleet already awaited them, ready to load warriors and horses alike. Under the scorching sun they prepared to set sail. First, to punish the rich Rhodians, then onward, across the islands of the Aegean, towards the distant shores of Greece. The great campaign to bring the defiant Greeks to heel was about to begin.
Penelope
September, 490 BC
They left the gates of Athens on the 10th day of Metageitnion, marching towards Marathon as fast as they could. Ten thousand warriors, almost the whole armed might of the Athenians joined the march, along with a thousand loyal Plateans. They headed East, towards the smokes rising above Attika. Chalkis and Eretria has already been destroyed. Now it was Athens’ turn.
Penelope watched them disappear in the distance, covered by the dust raised by thousands of bronze-clad feet. Her husband Nikephoros and the whole fighting oikos, marching to meet their uncertain fate on the plains of Marathon.
‘Come now, my lady,’ she heard the voice of old Leukas, bidding her to return to the city.
‘Just a little longer, Leukas,’ she shook her head. At that moment, she felt like a little girl again, being left alone by the whole world. ‘Just a while longer.’
Arynam
September, 490 BC
The mighty fleet anchored in the shadow of the cape Kynosura, in the seeming safety of Marathon. Safety from sea storms, at least.
Unloading the mass of his Majesty’s forces took several days and new triremes kept coming. A wealth of nations joined the King of kings’ call. Chief among them, the Medes, the Sakai, and a noble cavalry of the Persians. The result was a ever-present chaos and confusion.
A growing unease settled in Arynam’s heart. The Athenians weren’t what he expected. Unlike the other Greeks he met, these did not turn tail and run, to hide behind their walls. They marched out to meet them, right there, on the fields of Marathon. ‘Quickly! Get off the ships!’ he shouted impatiently to a group of Sakai, constantly eyeing the western horizon. He knew they could arrive at any hour now. And his lord Datis would not be pleased, if the troops failed to muster before the enemy got here.
Arrival
September, 490 BC
They marched through the night, desperate to cut off the Persians from the main road to Athens. With a sigh or relief, on the first light of a new day, they arrived above the vast fields of Marathon. There, they found the gathered masses of the enemy, still unprepared to meet them.
‘Look at them,’ gasped Philippos, scowling at the sheer number of Persians. ‘Like an angry beehive.’
‘Good. More of them for me to plough,’ came Hermogenes’ rough voice from the slits of his heavy Corinthian helmet.
‘I always suspected you were crazy, Herm,’ Chalcon chuckled, trying to hide signs of fear in his voice. ‘Now I know.’
‘We’re going to need a lot of crazy to fight this,’ growled Aegeus. ‘Save it for the Persians.’
They succeeded. They barred the way to the city, stranding the enemy army on the beach. Now, all they had to do was hold their ground - and wait for Datis to accept their challenge.
About the Film
Heroes of Bronze is an upcoming “proof-of-concept” CG short film set in Ancient Greece. It shows the magnificence, beauty and horror of the time between the two famous battles of ancient history – Marathon (490 BC) and Platea (479 BC).
It intends to serve as an intro to a bigger animated project.
If you want to learn about how I made the project, you can find a sneak peek breakdown and my courses below:
