The name "Marathon" comes from the epic Battle of Marathon fought between the Athenians and the Persians at Marathon in Greece. If one has a penchant for running marathons, then run an authentic one from Marathon to Athens!
When planning to visit the incredible Acropolis in Athens, remember to also consider visiting many of the other attractions and historical sites in Greece - like Marathon.
Battle of Marathon and The Legend of Philippides
The reason why the long-distance race is named "Marathon" is because of the legend of Philippides. Philippides was the Greek messenger who according to legend and ran to Athens from Marathon.
The Persians had landed an army in Greece but they were driven back to their ships and on the verge of defeat. Then Philippides saw a Persian ship changing its course towards Athens. He feared this would be an attempt by the defeated Persians to sail up the coast and attack undefended Athens while the army was engaged at Marathon.
Date: August of September 490 BC
Philippides: Ran From Marathon To Athens (and Died)
Seeing this he ran the entire distance to Athens without stopping. He discarded his weapons and even clothes along the way and finally burst into the assembly shouting "νενικήκαμεν" (nenikēkamen, "we have won!"). He then collapsed and died right then and there. Other versions have it that he was the herald dispatched to inform Athens of their victory.
The Athenian army was also able to march up the coast fast enough and prevent the Persians from landing again. According to the ancient accounts, the Greek general Miltiades ordered all his hoplite forces to march double-time back to Athens. So when the Persians arrived, the same Greek army was waiting for them.
Outcome and Tomb To The Athenian Dead
The battle was a decisive Greek victory with only 192 Athenians and 11 allied Plataeans dead according to Herodotus. By contrast, Herodotus claimed 6,400 Persians were dead and 7 ships destroyed. Modern estimates put the Persian deaths at 4,000 to 5,000.
It was this defeat that humiliated the Persians and drove them to launch a far greater invasion from which the battles of Salamis and Thermopylae are still remembered today. It was this second invasion that the 300 Spartans fought and died in Thermopylae.
One of the things to see at Marathon is the Soros (a tumulus or burial mound). The tomb was erected for the 192 Athenians who fell at the Battle of Marathon. It is a marble memorial stele and is surrounded by a small park.
See: The Tomb For The 192 Athenian Dead
This is one of the few things to see at Marathon - after all, it's only famous because it was the starting point of a herald coming from a battle.
Creation Of The Marathon Race
Running the marathon has been conceived in modern times. When the modern Olympics began in 1896, organizers wanted a great popularizing event that would recall the glory of ancient Greece.
First Marathon: Run in 1896
The idea came from the German-born Frenchman, Michel Breal. He also wanted to feature the first modern Olympic Games in Athens. His idea gained support - including by the Greeks. The first Olympic marathon was held on 22 March 1896 and the 2004 Summer Olympics of 2004 returned to run the traditional route from Marathon to Athens.
In the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the women's marathon was introduced.
First Women's Marathon: 1984 Summer Olympics Had The Frist Women's Olympic Marathon
The Boston Marathon was first begun in 1897 having been inspired by the success of the first marathon in the 1896 Olympics. Today it is the world's oldest run annual marathon and attracts around half a million runners.
The exact length of the Olympic marathon was not precisely fixed in the beginning. In the first few Olympic Games, they were around 40 kilometers or 25 miles. That is roughly the distance from Marathon to Athens taking the longer, flatter route.
Length: Since 1924 The Distance Has Been Fixed As 42.195 Kilometers or 26.219 Miles
Tours to Marathon
Today Marathon is a town in Greece and is the site of the famous battle where the heavily outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persians.
There are plenty of tours to Marathon from Athens. These are often half-day tours or are parts of larger tour packages. The Marathon Tour From Athens starts with a pick up from one's hotel (or cruise ship).
On these tours, one will drive and see the classical Marathon routes from Marathon to Athens.
Other highlights of the tour include:
The Marathon Tomb: Where 192 Athenian Hoplites Are Buried
Temple of Artemis: See Statues of Young Children Dedicated to Goddess of Nature, the Hunt, and Childbirth
Egyptian Museum: See Statues of Osiris and Isis
The Marathon Run Museum: Optional