The Battle of the Marathons

a long-distance running race, strictly one of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km).

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 he collapse and died.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvBoCATqriM

•In 490 BC, Athenians fought a big exiting battle against the Persians.

•The Persians had a big empire to the East of Greece.

•In 490Bc, 600 Persian ships landed at the harbor of marathon near Athens.

•The Athenians raised an army of about 10,000 men.

•The Athenian king Militiades sent a Greek hoplite called Pheidippides to Sparta to ask for help.

•Spartans refused to help because they were in a religious festival. By the time Pheidippides returned to Marathon, he had ran over 100 miles.

•Athenians won the battle due to military tactics and strength of hoplites.

•Pheidippides ran to Athens to tell them that the Persians were defeated. After announcing the victory, he collapsed and died.

•Pheidippides ran over twenty six miles to get from Marathon to Athens.

•This is where our modern day marathon comes from.

•A marathon race is exactly 26 miles and 385 yards long.

•The marathon race is run at the Olympics every four years.

•Marathons are also run annually in many cities around the world like London, Berlin, Chicago and Boston..