Ten thousand Greeks against twenty-five thousand Persians. Greece had to win.

Marathon: The Run That Became a Legend

Outnumbered Greeks defeat the Persian Empire — and create a sporting tradition

Heavily outnumbered Greek forces defeated the Persian army at Marathon in 490 BC using a tactical masterstroke, inspiring the legend of the marathon runner.

In September 490 BC, a Persian expeditionary force of perhaps 25,000 men landed at Marathon, 26 miles north of Athens. Their goal was to conquer Athens and punish it for supporting the Ionian Revolt against Persian rule. The Athenians had perhaps 10,000 soldiers. They sent a runner — Pheidippides — to Sparta, 140 miles away, to beg for reinforcements. The Spartans refused, citing religious obligations.

The Athenian generals were divided. General Miltiades convinced them to attack rather than defend — a bold gamble. The Greeks extended their battle line to match the Persian line, then deliberately weakened the center while strengthening the flanks.

The battle lasted perhaps an hour. The weak Greek center bent back under Persian attack while the strong flanks routed the Persian wings and wheeled inward, surrounding the Persian center. The Persians broke and ran for their ships; the Greeks pursued them into the sea. According to ancient sources, 6,400 Persians died compared to 192 Greeks.

According to legend, Pheidippides then ran the 26 miles back to Athens to announce the victory with the word "Nenikekamen" (We have won) and died from exhaustion. Modern historians doubt the story…

💡 The 1896 Olympic marathon was run by a Greek shepherd named Spyridon Louis, who reportedly stopped at a roadside inn to drink a glass of wine mid-race. He still won.