Sunday, March 18, 2007

Marathon-Greece


Marathon Ground and Lake - magnificent view and driveway in Attiki Greece

Marathon (Demotic Greek: Μαραθώνας, Marathónas; Attic/ Katharevousa: Μαραθών, Marathón) is a town in Greece, the site of the battle of Marathon in 490 BC, in which the Athenian army defeated the Persians. A legendary run of a messenger named Phidippides from Marathon to Athens, a distance of 26.2 miles or 42 kilometres, after the battle forms the basis for the modern-day marathon race. When the messenger arrived in Athens, he shouted "Nenikekamen" (we were victorious) and died. A burial mound (Greek Τύμβος, tymbos, i.e. tomb) for the 192 Athenian dead was erected near the battlefield. The Tymbos is now marked by a marble memorial stele and surrounded by a small park.

Below is Marathon Lake and Starting point of Marathon. At the 2004 Summer Olympics Marathon was the starting point for both men and women marathon races. In right this is the Marathon Village where the battle was fought.


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