The municipality of Marathon in Attica celebrated a program of events to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary of the historic Battle of Marathon on September 12.
Among those attending will be Greece’s female marathon runner Maria Polyzou, who recently became the first woman to repeat the legendary 520km run from Athens to Sparta and back again in six days.
On this crucial battlefield, the ancient Athenians managed to thwart invasion by a numerically superior Persian force, inaugurating an era in which Greece flourished and laid the foundations of western culture.
With money donated by the Leventis Foundation, the municipality marked out historic routes for cyclists and pedestrians that will link monuments such as the Marathon Tomb, the Trophy, the ancient quarries and others.
On September 12 itself the events reached a peak and, featuring a walk to the Tomb followed by the reading of descriptions of the battle from Herodotus by well known Greek actors, accompanied by ancient Greek instruments such as the lute, pan-pipes, horn and others.
Among those attending will be Greece’s female marathon runner Maria Polyzou, who recently became the first woman to repeat the legendary 520km run from Athens to Sparta and back again in six days.
The distance was originally run by the ancient messenger Pheidippides when he was sent to ask for Sparta’s aid in the battle.