Marathon, Greece facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marathon Μαραθώνας
The town of Marathon
Marathon Location in Greece
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Attica
Regional unit	East Attica
Area
• Municipality	222.75 km2 (86.00 sq mi)
• Municipal unit	97.06 km2 (37.48 sq mi)
Elevation	33 m (108 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Municipality	31,331
• Municipality density	140.655/km2 (364.296/sq mi)
• Municipal unit	10,063
• Municipal unit density	103.678/km2 (268.525/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	190 07
Area code(s)	22940
Vehicle registration	Z
Website	www.marathon.gr

Marathon (in Greek: Μαραθώνας, Marathónas) is a famous town in Greece. It is known as the place where the historic Battle of Marathon happened in 490 BCE. In this battle, the Athenian army, even though they were greatly outnumbered, bravely defeated the Persians.

A famous story tells that after the battle, a Greek messenger named Pheidippides ran all the way from Marathon to Athens. He ran to announce the big victory. This legendary run is why we have the "marathon" running race today. Marathon is now part of the East Attica region, near Athens. It is a popular place for holidays and farming.

History of Marathon

Ruins of a Frankish tower near Marathon

The name "Marathon" (Μαραθών) comes from the Greek word for the plant fennel. In Ancient Greek, fennel was called márathon. So, Marathon literally means "a place full of fennel." People believe the town got its name because there was a lot of fennel growing there.

In ancient times, Marathon was a small plain in northeast ancient Attica. It included four areas: Marathon, Probalinthus, Tricorythus, and Oenoe. These areas together formed the Tetrapolis, which was one of the 12 districts of Attica.

Many Greek legends are connected to Marathon. It is said that the hero Theseus fought and defeated a fierce bull here. Also, the hero Heracles was honored in Marathon, and people believed he had a special place there. Marathon is even mentioned in Homer's famous story, the Odyssey.

The Battle of Marathon

Marathon became very famous because of the great battle fought there in 490 BCE. This was when the Athenians won a huge victory over the Persians. After the Greek general Miltiades defeated the Persian forces of Darius, the Persians planned to sail to Athens to attack the city.

But Miltiades quickly ordered his soldiers to march back to Athens very fast. By the time the Persian troops arrived, they saw the same Greek army waiting for them. This quick action saved Athens.

Modern Developments

Plain of Marathon

View of the Lake Marathon

In 1926, an American company started building the Marathon Dam in a valley above Marathon. This dam was built to provide water for Athens. It was finished in 1929. About 10 square kilometers of forest were flooded to create Lake Marathon.

Marathon battle memorial.

The beach of Schinias is located southeast of Marathon. It is a popular spot for windsurfing. The Olympic Rowing Center, which was used for the 2004 Summer Olympics, is also there. Marathon was the starting point for the marathon races in both the 1896 and 2004 Summer Olympics.

Population Figures

Here's how the population of Marathon has changed over the years:

Other smaller towns and villages in the area include Agios Panteleimonas, Kato Souli, Vranas, Avra, Vothon, Ano Souli, and Schinias.

Places to Visit

The Soros, a burial mound (Marathon tumuli) for those who died in the Battle of Marathon

• The Soros is a special burial mound. It was built for the 192 Athenian soldiers who died in the Battle of Marathon. It is a key feature of the coastal plain and has a marble memorial stone.
• The Kato Souli Naval Transmission Facility has a very tall radio mast. At 250 meters, it is the tallest structure in Greece.

Sister Cities

Marathon has special connections with other cities around the world:

• Hopkinton, Massachusetts, United States
• Xiamen, China

See also

In Spanish: Maratón (Grecia) para niños