Download Version 1 The marathon race commemorates the

Version 1
The marathon race commemorates the run
of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield
near Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490
BC, bringing news of a Greek victory over
the Persians. Pheidippides collapsed and
died at the end of his historic run, thereby
setting a precedent for dramatic conclusions
to the marathon.
Version 2
In 490 BC, Darius of Persia ruled the greatest
empire on earth. Its cities were rich, and its
soldiers were used to victory. When Athens
dared to send help to some Greek peoples that
rebelled against him, Darius thought that this
small enemy must be punished. Persian ships
landed at Marathon – just 26 miles from Athens.
Ten thousand Athenian soldiers faced a vast
army. One of them was Pheidippides, the
famous runner. After fighting in this hard battle
he then ran to Athens where he gasped out the
news of victory – and died.
Version 3
The site of a decisive battle of the Persian Wars in 490 BC,
became the name of a highly competitive Olympic event
because of the effort of one determined Athenian runner.
On the plains 20 miles east of Athens, an Athenian army of
11,000 men met a larger Persian army of 15,000 to 30,000
men under the command of the Persian Emperor, Darius the
Great at the battle of Marathon.
In those days when communication took more than the push
of a button, a runner named Pheidippides, was sent to the
Grecian city of Sparta for help.
Militiades, one of the Athenian commanders, convinced his
superiors not to wait for help and attacked the Persians.
Under his leadership, the hoplites, or Athenian heavy infantry,
attacked the Persians on the run to avoid the arrows of their
archers. The attack forced the Persians to attack the Athenian
centre and be enveloped by the Athenian wings.
Meanwhile, Pheidippides arrived with the Spartans, who
arrived too late, but who were surprised to see the Athenians
had defeated the Persians anyway.
According to legend, Pheidippides ran from the battlefield to
Athens to inform the citizens of the victory.
After crying Rejoice! We conquer! He died of exhaustion.
This run from Marathon to Athens was 26 miles and that is
why we have the modern day Marathon.
Version 4
Early in the summer of 490 BC, Darius launched his
invasion of Greece. His armada consisted of 600 ships
and a powerful and well-equipped army. Marathon was
selected as the best place to invade. As soon as the
Athenians heard of the landing, a message was sent from
Athens to Sparta. A man called Pheidippides was chosen
to run the 156 kilometres there and back. Being a
professional runner it was thought that he could complete
the journey in just one day! Recently, a Greek athlete won
a race over this distance in just 21 hours and 53 minutes
so the story could be true.
One version of the story written nearly 700 years after it
happened, says that as soon as Pheidippides returned
from his run to Sparta, he not only had to fight the
Persians at the battle of Marathon, but also had to run
immediately to Athens (twenty-six miles and a bit) to let
the people there know of the victory-before dropping
dead!!
Version 5
The Persians were about to invade Greece at a place near
Athens called Marathon. The Persians had a huge army
and the Athenians decided to ask Sparta for help to fight
them
Pheidippides was chosen to take the message to Sparta,
which was 125 km away. He was a trained runner, and he
managed to reach Sparta in one day after leaving Athens.
The Spartan law said that they were not allowed to march
to battle until the moon was full. However, while returning
home with his bad news, Pheidippides met the god Pan
who told him that he was on the Athenian side and would
come and fight them. Encouraged by this, the Athenians
marched against the Persians and defeated them at the
Battle of Marathon. Pheidippides ran 250km in two days,
and the long-distance running races have been called
marathons ever since.
Version 6
In 490 BC Greece was at war with Persia.
When
Persia
attacked,
a
man
called
Pheidippides was sent with a message to
Sparta asking for help. However, the Spartans
refused to help until the moon was full. By then
the battle was all over. Athens had won a
brilliant victory.
The name of the man who ran from Marathon to
Athens is not known. Some people think it was
Pheidippides, the man who had run to Sparta.
But most accounts just say that the man who
ran from marathon to Athens was a Greek
soldier.