The name marathon is closely linked to the history and culture of Greece. To understand the origin of the name marathon, one first needs to understand the deep historical and cultural background behind it.
During the ancient Greek period, the plain of Marathon was the main route between Athens and Sparta. In 490 BC, a great battle broke out between the Persian Empire of ancient Greece and Athens, known as the Battle of Marathon. In this battle, the Athenian army, led by General Mithades, managed to defeat the Persian army. In order to get the news of the victory to the inhabitants of Athens as soon as possible, the Athenian army sent a soldier named Phidipides back to Athens to report the news. Peripides succeeded in his mission, but fell to his death due to overwork after reporting the letter.
To commemorate this battle and the heroic deeds of Phidippides, the Athenians held a long-distance race at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The distance of this race is the distance that Phidipoides ran at that time, which is about 42195 km. This is the origin of the modern marathon.
In naming the race, it was named "Marathon" in reference to the ancient Greek Battle of Marathon. The name is not only a tribute to ancient Greek history, but also a symbol of the test of endurance and perseverance of the athletes.
In addition, the word marathon also means "far" or "long distance" in ancient Greek. This also echoes the distance of this race, highlighting the extremely high level of physical demands placed on the athletes.
In conclusion, the name marathon is both a tribute to the history of ancient Greece and a symbol of the resilience of the athletes. It not only represents a kind of sports competition, but also a spiritual pursuit and the embodiment of human courage to challenge the limit.
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