The earliest historically recorded marathon, which inspired the development of this athletic event that we love so well, happened in another era – two and a half millennia ago to be exact.
The marathon took place in ancient Greece, where it was common practice to communicate important messages from city to city by means of foot couriers. Effectively the ancient Greeks were among the first organised long distance runners in the world.
In 490 B.C. an army from Persia sailed across the Mediterranean and set camp in the plain of Marathon, about 40 km from Athens. It was clear to the Athenians that the Persians did not have any friendly intentions, so they decided to send a messenger, Philippides, to Sparta 246 km away to enlist their help to do battle with the Persians. Philippides ran the distance in two days, and ran back with the news that the Spartans would send their own troops to help the Athenians… but only at the next full moon after the end of their religious festival. The Athenians could not afford to wait so long, and although outnumbered they decided to storm the Persians at Marathon, taking them by surprise and beating them against great odds. The battle probably saved the Greek civilisation, and was therefore instrumental for the eventual development of Western civilisation as we know it.
A legend was born, 600 years later, of the messenger, whose name had now morphed to Pheidippides, who was sent back from Marathon to Athens with news of the great victory. Pheidippides ran the distance, uttered the words “Rejoice, we conquer” and dropped dead.
This legend, however, is an example of how the passage of time distorts historical reality. There are, in fact, numerous variations of this story, but the most reliable recorded version is probably the one by the historian Herodotus (born 6 years after the battle) whose “Histories” includes an account of the Battle of Marathon.
According to Herodotus, Philippides never actually went to Marathon at the time of the battle, but instead ran two ultramarathons from Athens to Sparta and back... Upon losing the battle in the field, the Persians went back to their ships and set sail to round the Cape of Sounion and try to capture the undefended Athens. But the Athenians quickly realised about the Persians’ intentions, and ran back to reach the city before the assailants could lay claim to it. This, in fact, was the world’s first Marathon run, and one can hardly imagine a more fantastic setting – the entire Athenian army in full battle dress literally racing from Marathon to Athens to reach their home city before the Persian ships could arrive and capture it! The Athenians did in fact win this race, and the Persians decided that they had had enough, gave up their quest and retreated. Athens and Western civilisation was thus saved.
Philippides’ 246 km run from Athens to Sparta is commemorated each September, with an ultramarathon called the ‘Spartathlon’.
The Athenian army's race to save their home city is commemorated all over the world, in any time of the year. As we all know, it's named after the place where it all began, Marathon, in Greece.
