Marathon was the site of the Battle of Marathon during the Medic Wars in which Athens defeated Persia in 490 B.C. despite being outnumbered. A runner, named Pheidippedes, was sent back to Athens, about 26 miles away, to inform the Athenians of the news, and dropped dead from exhaustion after making it back and telling the story.[1]
See: Marathon (race)
Categories: [Ancient Greece] [Sports]