Marathon was the site of one of the most important (1)_____ in the history of Western civilization. There, in 490 B.C., a Greek army defeated a(n) (2)_____ army of Persians and saved Greece from becoming part of the Persian Empire. Marathon is a coastal plain about 25 miles northeast of Athens, Greece. Beginning in 400 B.C., Greek living under Persian (3)_____ in Asia, Minor (now Turkey), (4)_____ against King Darius I of Persia. The Athenians sent solders and 20 ships to aid the rebels. Then the Greeks forces attacked and burned Sardis, a city that served as Darius’s capital in Asia Minor. Darius vowed that he would take (5)_____ on the Athenians by conquering and burning Athens. In 490 B.C., Darius sent one of his general, with an army and a (6)_____ of about 200 ships to conquer Athens. The Persians first destroyed the city Eretria, and then sailed for Marathon. The Athenian general Miltiades (7)_____ the Athenian troops on the island edge of the plain. The Persian occupied the seaward (8)_____ A few days later, the Persian leaders, hoping that civil war had broken out in Athens, loaded part of the forces on ships. The Persian on the ships prepared to sail to Athens and attack the city. Seeing their (9)_____ for a victory, the Athenians attacked the army of Persians that remained on the plain. The Greeks surrounded and thoroughly defeated the Persians at marathon. According to tradition, Miltiades sent the runner Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens with news of the Athenians victory. Pheidippides (10)_____ the 25 miles to Athens at top speed, delivered his message, and fell to the ground, dead. Today, the word marathon refers to a foot race of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers) or of similar length.