A Catalogue of Useless Facts

The First Marathon

The First Marathon
- history -

​​The Battle of Marathon was an armed conflict in the year 490 BC, in which the Greeks of Athens successfully repelled a Persian invasion at the site of the Greek town of Marathon

One famous legend of the event involves a messenger named Philippides. First, he was tasked with running from Marathon to Sparta to request military aid for the battle -- a distance of nearly 150 miles (240 km), which he achieved in two days. Then, after the fight was won, Philippides was dispatched again to Athens to relay the news to the city leaders -- a distance of 25 miles (40 km). He managed to deliver the message, and then collapsed and died from the effort.

Despite academic debate about the historicity or extent of Philippides' deeds, the story was the inspiration behind the creation of the first "marathon race" at the 1986 Olympic Games in Athens.

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Sources ▼

https://www.marathonguide.com/history/olympicmarathons/prologue.cfm