What is the story of the Marathon?

What is the story of the Marathon?

The idea for the modern marathon was inspired by the legend of an ancient Greek messenger who raced from the site of Marathon to Athens, a distance of about 40 kilometers, or nearly 25 miles, with the news of an important Greek victory over an invading army of Persians in 490 B.C. After making his announcement, the …

What happened at Marathon Greece?

Battle of Marathon, (September 490 bce), in the Greco-Persian Wars, decisive battle fought on the Marathon plain of northeastern Attica in which the Athenians, in a single afternoon, repulsed the first Persian invasion of Greece. On being almost enveloped, the Persian troops broke into flight.

Why was Marathon important to ancient Greece?

Marathon did not end the wars against Persia, but was the first turning point in establishing the success of the Greek, and specifically Athenian way, which would eventually give rise to all western culture as we know it. Thus, according to some, Marathon is the most important battle in history.

Why is the Marathon called the Marathon?

The event is named after the legendary 26-mile run made by a Greek soldier called Philippides (also known as Pheidippides) from the scene of the battle of Marathon to Athens, where he announced the defeat of the invading Persians. This distance was standardised at 26 miles 385 yards (42.195km) in 1921.

How did the Marathon get its name?

The name Marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had just fought), which took place in August or September, 490 BC.

Why was the Battle of Marathon a significant event for ancient Greece?

The Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C. was part of the first Persian invasion of Greece. His strategy was victorious over the Persians’ strength, and the victory of “the Marathon men” captured the collective imagination of the Greeks.

Why was the Greek victory at Marathon so surprising?

Why was the Greek victory at Marathon so surprising? Because the Persian empire was expected to win because it was so much larger than Greece. After the Greek victory the threat from the Persian Empire was finally over.

Why is the Marathon important?

What did the Battle of Marathon?

Where did the marathon get its name from?

Although never part of the ancient Olympic Games, the marathon does have ancient Greek origins. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, when the Athenians learned that the Persians had landed at Marathon on the way to attack Athens in 490 BC, a messenger named Pheidippides ran to Sparta with a request for help.

Is the Athens Classic Marathon like no other?

About Athens Classic Marathon. The Athens Marathon is like no other on Earth. According to legend, it covers the same ground that the Athenian messenger Phiedippides ran when he brought news of victory from the battlefield of Marathon 2,500 years ago.

Where was the city of Marathon in ancient Greece?

History. Anciently, Marathon ( Ancient Greek: Μαραθών) occupied a small plain in the northeast of ancient Attica, which contained four places, Marathon, Probalinthus, Tricorythus, and Oenoe, which originally formed the Tetrapolis, one of the 12 districts into which Attica was divided before the time of Theseus.

Who was the first woman to run the marathon?

At least one woman, Stamata Revithi, ran the original marathon course in 1896, although on her own initiative and not in the actual race, while a British athlete, Violet Piercy, ran the route of the Polytechnic Marathon in 1926. However, it was not until 1984 that the first women’s Olympic marathon was held, in Los Angeles.