The Battle of Thermopylae, fought in 480 BC between the Achaemenid Persian Empire under Xerxes I and an alliance of Greek city-states led by Sparta under Leonidas I
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest stands as a pivotal moment in ancient history, when Roman forces suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Germanic tribes. This loss not only brought an abrupt halt to the empire's territorial expansion into northern Europe, but it also cemented a profound linguistic, cultural and political rift between the Latin‑based world of Rome and the Germanic peoples beyond the Rhine. That divide, born from the outcome of the 9 AD confrontation, has endured through the centuries, underpinning the distinct Latin‑Germanic split that still characterises much of Western Europe's cultural landscape in the present day.
The Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BC, forming part of Persia's first invasion of Greece. This engagement is recorded as occurring at Marathon in that year, and it represents the opening clash of the Persian campaign against the Greeks. Sources identify the year 490 BC as the moment when the Persian forces first confronted Greek opposition at Marathon. The encounter is noted for being the initial encounter between the invading Persians and the defending Greeks during that first invasion. In summary, the battle happened in 490 BC at Marathon, during the earliest Persian attempt to breach Greek lands. According to historical records, the date and location remain consistently cited.