Did a Greek Soldier Run From Marathon to Athens, Giving Marathons Their Name?

Where did the name "marathon" come from? Why are marathons 26.2 miles? Did a Greek soldier by the name of Pheidippides really run from Marathon to Athens? In this episode learn about the history of the name marathon.

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Transcript

Tzeela: Hi I'm Tzeela and I'm 17

Rina: Hi I'm Rina and I'm 15

Dalia: Hey, I'm Dalia and I'm 11

All: And this is Things You Thought You Knew About History!

Tzeela: Where we tell you the real story behind historical misconceptions.

Tzeela: Running a marathon is super impressive, the runners have to go so far and stay fast for such a long distance

Rina: Yeah, it's probably so hard, how long is it?

Dalia: Marathons are 26.2 miles or 42.195km

Tzeela: How did they decide on the length? And why’s it called a Marathon?

Dalia: The Battle of Marathon was the first Persian invasion of Greece in the Greco-Persian wars in 490 BCE. The Greco-Persian wars were a series of wars that took place over almost half a century between Greek states and Persia.

Rina: After the battle, a Greek soldier named Pheidippides or Philippides ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. He told the Athenians that the Greeks had defeated the invading Persian army. When he finished giving over the good news, he collapsed and died because he was so exhausted. This run was around 25 miles and the Marathons that people run today were named after this famous run.

Dalia: That’s actually not true. The story about Pheidippides' run is just a legend.

Tzeela: Ya, there is no evidence that this run is anything but a made-up story. Herodotus, a Greek historian, mentions Pheidippides as a messenger sent out before the Battle of Marathon. He was sent to Sparta to request aid in the upcoming battle. This run was around 140 miles or 225km.

Rina: Herodotus doesn’t mention Pheidippides again and also doesn’t mention any messengers after the battle of Marathon

Dalia: So then where does this legend come from?

Rina: Plutarch who wasn’t born until 46 CE, which is hundreds of years after the run is said to take place, mentions a messenger running from Marathon to Athens. He says that he gets the idea from Heracleides Ponticus who wrote during the 4th century BCE. He also says that not all historians agree on the name of this messenger.

Tzeela: In the 2nd century CE satirist Lucian of Samosata writes this story of Pheidippides' run in his text, A Slip of the Tongue in Greeting. He writes that Pheidippides' last words were “Joy to you, we’ve won”

Dalia: This story would inspire others, like poet Robert Browning who wrote a poem in 1879 called Pheidippides. It would also inspire the organizers of the first modern Olympics in 1896. They created a 25 mi/40 km race to honor the accomplishments of Ancient Greece. So even though Pheidippides' run is just a legend, it did inspire the name of this event.

Rina: If the race started as 25 miles, when and why did it become 26.2 miles?

Tzeela: In 1908 at the Olympic games in London the distance was switched to 26.2 miles and in 1921 the distance was officially set to 26.2 miles or 42.195 km

Rina: Why?

Dalia: Queen Alexandra wanted the race to start in the Windsor castle lawn and end “in front of the royal box at the Olympic stadium”. The royal family requested this so the race would be visible out of the windows of the royal nursery. Or at least that’s how the story goes according to some accounts

Tzeela: David Davis who wrote a book about the race claims that the reason for starting it on the Windsor Castle lawn probably was because it would be easier to control the crowd, not so the royal family could see out the window

Rina: Now for some trivia!!

Tzeela: Here’s how it will work, we’ll ask a question count down from ten and then tell you the answer.

Dalia: Let’s see how well you know your marathon records!!!

Rina: GO!!!!

Dalia: What is the current world record speed for a Marathon?

10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1

2:01:3

Tzeela: Who holds the record?

10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1

Eliud Kipchoge and he was also the winner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics men’s marathon

Rina: Who won the Women’s marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1

Peres Jepchirchir

Dalia: Who won the first ever Olympic marathon in 1896?

10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1

Spyridon Louis

Tzeela: Which country holds the most Olympic marathon gold metals?

10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1

Ethiopia

Rina: Thanks for listening! We hope you enjoyed!!