Paul Anastasi’s new book "Marathon Mysteries" takes the story of the Battle of Marathon and gives it a rich treatment, offering the reader a wealth of photos, maps, charts and more than 200 illustrations that make it a visual treat. But beyond the aesthetic attractiveness, Anastasi’s book features writing that recounts historical events in the style of an adventure novel, making it fast-paced and readable, suited not only to historians but also the lay audience. The book reminds us that at the turn of the 5th century BC the Persian Empire spread from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. Greece and Europe had been approached as far as modern Bulgaria to the north, the Turkish coast, or Asia Minor, to the east, and Egypt, Libya and the north African coast.