Miltiades led the Athenian army to the plain of Marathon where they camped in a wooded area for three days, waiting for reinforcements from Sparta. Spies reported that a portion of the Persian forces left by ship, presumably to attack Athens directly. When Miltiades' spies informed him of this, he marched the Athenian hoplites at a run towards the Persians in a modified formation, with wings of 8 men deep and a center of 4 men deep, and attacked the remaining Persian forces at Marathon. The Athenians were victorious, repelling the first Persian invasion of Greece.