490BC: The Greeks defeated the Persians under Darius at the Battle of Marathon. Philippides had run 150 miles in two days in a futile attempt to ask the Spartans to assist the Greek army, but in the end their help was not required.

1759: The British under General Wolfe won the Battle of Quebec - but Wolfe died in the fighting.

1788: New York became federal capital of the new United States of America.

1874: Composer Arnold Schoenberg was born in Vienna. As a triskaidekaphobe (someone afraid of the number 13), he predicted he would die on the 13th at the age of 76 (7+6=13). He did, on July 13 1951 at 13 minutes to midnight. His last word was "harmony.

1909: The first performance took place of Oscar Strauss's The Chocolate Soldier, the operetta based on Shaw's Arms And The Man. It introduced the famous song My Hero.

1915: The process for making breakfast cereal flakes was patented by Frank Martin, as previously the combination of corn, oats and grain had proved indigestible for the public.

1944: William Heath Robinson, the English artist known for his drawings of complex machinery which performed simple tasks, died.

1957: The Mousetrap became Britain's longest running play, reaching its 1,998th performance.

1970: In Mexico for the World Cup, England captain Bobby Moore was accused of stealing a diamond bracelet from a shop. After being kept under house arrest, he was finally released and all charges were dropped.

1985: The World Health Organisation declared Aids a worldwide epidemic.

On this day last year: 13 A coroner recorded an open verdict on the death of a man found floating in entertainer Michael Barrymore's swimming pool.

BIRTHDAYS: RICHARD Kiel, actor, 64; Carol Barnes, TV newsreader, 59; Jacqueline Bisset, actress, 59; Don Was, music producer, 51; Lord Moynihan, former Minister for Sport, 48; Bobby Davro, comedian, pictured, 44; Zak Starkey, rock musician, 38; Stella McCartney, fashion designer, 32.