One of the most famous legends associated with running is that of Phidippides, a Greek messenger who, according to Herodotus, ran about 25 miles from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to report the Greeks’ victory over the Persians in 490 BC. This legendary race is often cited as the...
a courier and long-distance runner whose run from Marathon to Athens became the basis of the modern marathonSappho, one of the best female poets of classical antiquityHippocrates, one of the greatest physicians who ever livedAlcibiades, a patriot-turned-traitor who was exiled from GreeceIctinus, ...
a courier and long-distance runner whose run from Marathon to Athens became the basis of the modern marathonSappho, one of the best female poets of classical antiquityHippocrates, one of the greatest physicians who ever livedAlcibiades, a patriot-turned-traitor who was exiled from GreeceIctinus, ...
an ancient "day-runner" who carried the news of the Persian landing at Marathon of 490 B.C.to Sparta (a distance of 149 miles) in order to enlist help for the battle.According to the fifth century B.C.ancient Greek historian Herodotus,Pheidippides delivered the news to the Spartans the ...
Fate was at work on the day of the race, and the Greek runner Spiridon Louis won the marathon -- even after stopping halfway through at the town of Pikermi to quaff a glass of wine [source: Lovett]. The marathon race course would be extended to its current length of 26.2 miles when...
The name of the race comes from a battle () in Ancient Greece.According to the story, a soldier ran from the battle field, Marathon, to Athens, to bring the news of a Greek victory against the Persians. He died just after arriving.The marathon has been an Olympic event since the ...
The race commemorates the run of Pheidippides,an ancient "day-runner" who carried the news of the Persian landing at Marathon of 490 B.C.to Sparta (a distance of 149 miles) in order to enlist help for the battle.According to the fifth century B.C.ancient Greek historian Herodotus,...
The Games took place every four years on the plain by Mount Olympus.Thousands of people came from all parts of the Greek world to watch the games.The winner of the foot race had the great honour of giving his name to the year of his history. ...
Most people believe the race was inspired by an ancient Greek courier, who ran 26 miles to declare victory against the Persians. They’re wrong.
suited the Olympics, Perrottet writes, as it “stripped away social rank,” leaving the competitors to be represented solely by their physical prowess. Greek writers also noted clothing’s potential to inhibit athletic ability: Apparently, a runner once tripped on his fallen loincloth duri...