Edit filter log

'{{Infobox Greek Dimos | name = Marathon | name_local = Μαραθώνας | image_map = 2011 Dimos Marathonos.png | periph = [[Attica (region)|Attica]] | periphunit = [[East Attica]] | pop_municipality = 33423 | area_municipality = 222.75 | pop_municunit = 12849 | area_municunit = 97.06 | population_as_of = 2011 | elevation = 28 | coordinates = {{coord|38|9|N|23|57|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | postal_code = 190 07 | area_code = 22940 | licence = Z | mayor = [[Ilias Psinakis]] | website = [http://www.marathon.gr www.marathon.gr] | image_skyline = ac.marathon.jpg | caption_skyline = The plain of Marathon today | city_flag = | city_seal = | districts = | party = | since = | elevation_min = 0 | elevation_max = }} {{Special characters}} '''Marathon''' ([[Demotic Greek]]: Μαραθώνας, ''Marathónas''; [[Ancient Greek|Attic]]/[[Katharevousa]]: {{lang|grc|Μαραθών}}, ''Marathṓn'') is a town in [[Greece]] and the site of the [[battle of Marathon]] in 490 BCE, in which the heavily outnumbered [[Classical Athens|Athenian]] army defeated the [[Persian Empire|Persia]]ns. Legend has it that [[Pheidippides]], a Greek [[herald]] at the battle, was sent running from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory, which is how the [[marathon]] running race was conceived in modern times.{{refn|group=n|In [[modern Greek]] the sports event is called ''Marathonios Dromos'' ({{lang|el|Μαραθώνιος Δρόμος}}) or simply ''Marathonios''.}} ==History== [[File:Oinoi Frankish Tower - Near Marathon, May 2014 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Ruins of a Frankish tower near Marathon]] The name "Marathon" ({{lang|el|Μαραθών}}) comes from the herb [[fennel]], called ''marathon'' ({{lang|grc|μάραθον}}) or ''marathos'' ({{lang|grc|μάραθος}}) in Ancient Greek,<ref name="marathon(the plant)LSJreference">{{LSJ|ma/raqon|μάραθον|ref}}.</ref>{{refn|group=n|The Greek word for ''fennel'' is first attested in [[Mycenaean Greek|Mycenaean]] [[Linear B]] on tablets [[Mycenae|MY]] Ge 602, MY Ge 606 + fr., MY Ge 605 + 607 + frr. + 60Sa + 605b - as {{lang|gmy|𐀔𐀨𐀶𐀺}}, ''ma-ra-tu-wo''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.palaeolexicon.com/ShowWord.aspx?Id=16801|title=The Linear B word ma-ra-tu-wo|publisher=Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of Ancient languages}} {{cite web|last=Raymoure|first=K.A.|url=http://minoan.deaditerranean.com/resources/linear-b-sign-groups/ma/ma-ra-tu-wo/|title=ma-ra-tu-wo| work=Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B | publisher=Deaditerranean}} {{cite web|title=MY 602 Ge (57)|url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5572}} {{cite web|title=MY 606 Ge + fr. (57)|url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5576}} {{cite web|title=MY 605 Ge + 607 + fr. [+] 60Sa + fr. [+] 605b + frr. (57)|website=DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo|url=https://www2.hf.uio.no/damos/Index/item/chosen_item_id/5575|publisher=[[University of Oslo]]}}</ref>}} so ''Marathon'' literally means "a place full of fennels".<ref name="Marathon(the place)LSJreference">{{LSJ|*maraqw/n|Μαραθών|shortref}}.</ref> It is believed that the town was originally named so because of an abundance of fennel plants in the area. Alternatively, [[Pausanias_(geographer)|Pausanias\\ refers to a Hero named Marathon. <ref name="Pausania1">[[Παυσανίας]], «Ελλάδος περιήγησις», [[s:Ελλάδος περιήγησις/Αττικά|«Αττικά», 15.3]]: [...] "τελευταῖον δὲ τῆς γραφῆς εἰσιν οἱ μαχεσάμενοι Μαραθῶνι• Βοιωτῶν δὲ οἱ Πλάταιαν ἔχοντες καὶ ὅσον ἦν Ἀττικὸν ἴασιν ἐς χεῖρας τοῖς βαρβάροις. καὶ ταύτῃ μέν ἐστιν ἴσα <τὰ> παρ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων ἐς τὸ ἔργον• τὸ δὲ ἔσω τῆς μάχης φεύγοντές εἰσιν οἱ βάρβαροι καὶ ἐς τὸ ἕλος ὠθοῦντες ἀλλήλους, ἔσχαται δὲ τῆς γραφῆς νῆές τε αἱ Φοίνισσαι καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων τοὺς ἐσπίπτοντας ἐς ταύτας φονεύοντες οἱ Ἕλληνες. ἐνταῦθα καὶ Μαραθὼν γεγραμμένος ἐστὶν ἥρως, ἀφ᾽ οὗ τὸ πεδίον ὠνόμασται, καὶ Θησεὺς ἀνιόντι ἐκ γῆς εἰκασμένος Ἀθηνᾶ τε καὶ Ἡρακλῆς• Μαραθωνίοις γάρ, ὡς αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν, Ἡρακλῆς ἐνομίσθη θεὸς πρώτοις. τῶν μαχομένων δὲ δῆλοι μάλιστά εἰσιν ἐν τῇ γραφῇ Καλλίμαχός τε, ὃς Ἀθηναίοις πολεμαρχεῖν ᾕρητο, καὶ Μιλτιάδης τῶν στρατηγούντων, ἥρως τε Ἔχετλος καλούμενος, οὗ καὶ ὕστερον ποιήσομαι μνήμην". [...]</ref><ref name="Pausania2">[[Παυσανίας]], «Ελλάδος περιήγησις», [[s:Ελλάδος περιήγησις/Αττικά|«Αττικά», 32.4]]: [...] "καὶ ἀνδρός ἐστιν ἰδίᾳ μνῆμα Μιλτιάδου τοῦ Κίμωνος, συμβάσης ὕστερόν οἱ τῆς τελευτῆς Πάρου τε ἁμαρτόντι καὶ δι᾽ αὐτὸ ἐς κρίσιν Ἀθηναίοις καταστάντι. ἐνταῦθα ἀνὰ πᾶσαν νύκτα καὶ ἵππων χρεμετιζόντων καὶ ἀνδρῶν μαχομένων ἔστιν αἰσθέσθαι• καταστῆναι δὲ ἐς ἐναργῆ θέαν ἐπίτηδες μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτῳ συνήνεγκεν, ἀνηκόῳ δὲ ὄντι καὶ ἄλλως συμβὰν οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τῶν δαιμόνων ὀργή. σέβονται δὲ οἱ Μαραθώνιοι τούτους τε οἳ παρὰ τὴν μάχην ἀπέθανον ἥρωας ὀνομάζοντες καὶ Μαραθῶνα ἀφ᾽ οὗ τῷ δήμῳ τὸ ὄνομά ἐστι καὶ Ἡρακλέα, φάμενοι πρώτοις Ἑλλήνων σφίσιν Ἡρακλέα θεὸν νομισθῆναι". [...]</ref><ref>[[Παυσανίας]], «Ελλάδος περιήγησις», [[s:Ελλάδος περιήγησις/Κορινθιακά|«Κορινθιακά», 1.1]]: [...] "ἡ δὲ Κορινθία χώρα μοῖρα οὖσα τῆς Ἀργείας ἀπὸ Κορίνθου τὸ ὄνομα ἔσχηκε. Διὸς δὲ εἶναι Κόρινθον οὐδένα οἶδα εἰπόντα πω σπουδῇ πλὴν Κορινθίων τῶν πολλῶν: Εὔμηλος δὲ ὁ Ἀμφιλύτου τῶν Βακχιδῶν καλουμένων, ὃς καὶ τὰ ἔπη λέγεται ποιῆσαι, φησὶν ἐν τῇ Κορινθίᾳ συγγραφῇ--εἰ δὲ Εὐμήλου γε ἡ συγγραφή--Ἐφύραν Ὠκεανοῦ θυγατέρα οἰκῆσαι πρῶτον ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, Μαραθῶνα δὲ ὕστερον τὸν Ἐπωπέως τοῦ Ἀλωέως τοῦ Ἡλίου φεύγοντα ἀνομίαν καὶ ὕβριν τοῦ πατρὸς ἐς τὰ παραθαλάσσια μετοικῆσαι τῆς Ἀττικῆς, ἀποθανόντος δὲ Ἐπωπέως ἀφικόμενον ἐς Πελοπόννησον καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν διανείμαντα τοῖς παισὶν αὐτὸν ἐς τὴν Ἀττικὴν αὖθις ἀναχωρῆσαι, καὶ ἀπὸ μὲν Σικυῶνος τὴν Ἀσωπίαν, ἀπὸ δὲ Κορίνθου τὴν Ἐφυραίαν μετονομασθῆναι". [...]</ref><ref>[[Παυσανίας]], «Ελλάδος περιήγησις», [[s:Ελλάδος περιήγησις/Κορινθιακά|«Κορινθιακά», 6.5]]: [...] "Λαμέδων δὲ βασιλεύσας ἔγημεν ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν γυναῖκα Φηνὼ Κλυτίου: καὶ ὕστερον γενομένου οἱ πολέμου πρὸς Ἄρχανδρον καὶ Ἀρχιτέλην τοὺς Ἀχαιοῦ συμμαχήσοντα ἐπηγάγετο Σικυῶνα ἐκ τῆς Ἀττικῆς, καὶ θυγατέρα τε συνῴκισεν αὐτῷ Ζευξίππην καὶ ἀπὸ τούτου βασιλεύσαντος ἡ γῆ Σικυωνία καὶ Σικυὼν ἀντὶ Αἰγιάλης ἡ πόλις ὠνομάσθη. Σικυῶνα δὲ οὐ Μαραθῶνος τοῦ Ἐπωπέως, Μητίονος δὲ εἶναι τοῦ Ἐρεχθέως φασίν. ὁμολογεῖ δέ σφισι καὶ Ἄσιος, ἐπεὶ Ἡσίοδός γε καὶ Ἴβυκος, ὁ μὲν ἐποίησεν ὡς Ἐρεχθέως εἴη Σικυών, Ἴβυκος δὲ εἶναι Πέλοπός φησιν αὐτόν". [...]</ref> Anciently, Marathon ({{lang-grc|Μαραθών}}) occupied a small plain in the northeast of [[ancient Attica]], which contained four places, Marathon, [[Probalinthus]], [[Tricorythus]], and [[Oenoe (Attica)|Oenoe]], which originally formed the [[Tetrapolis (Attica)|Tetrapolis]], one of the 12 districts into which Attica was divided before the time of [[Theseus]]. Here [[Xuthus]], who married the daughter of [[Erechtheus]], is said to have reigned; and here the [[Heracleidae]] took refuge when driven out of [[Peloponnesus]], and defeated [[Eurystheus]].<ref>{{Cite Strabo|viii. p.383}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Stephanus|''sub voce'' Τετμάπολις.}}</ref> The Marathonii claimed to be the first people in Greece who paid divine honours to [[Heracles]], who possessed a sanctuary in the plain.<ref>{{Cite Pausanias|1|15|3}}, 1.35.4.</ref> Marathon is also celebrated in the legends of Theseus, who conquered the ferocious bull, which used to devastate the plain.<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Thes.'' 14; {{Cite Strabo|ix. p.399}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Pausanias|1|27|10}}</ref> Marathon is mentioned in [[Homer|Homer's]] ''[[Odyssey]]'' in a way that implies that it was then a place of importance.<ref>{{Cite Odyssey|7.80}}</ref> In mythology, its name was derived from an eponymous hero Marathon, who is described by Pausanias as a son of [[Epopeus (king of Sicyon)|Epopeus]], king of [[Sicyon]], who fled into Attica in consequence of the cruelty of his father<ref>{{Cite Pausanias|2|1|1}}, 2.6.5, 1.15.3, 1.32.4</ref> [[Plutarch]] calls him an [[ancient Arcadia|Arcadian]], who accompanied the [[Dioscuri]] in their expedition into Attica, and voluntarily devoted himself to death before the battle.<ref>[[Plutarch]], ''Thes.'' 32.</ref> After Theseus united the 12 independent districts of Attica into one state, the name of Tetrapolis gradually fell into disuse; and the four places of which it consisted became Attic demi, Marathon, Tricorythus, and Oenoë belonging to the tribe [[Aeantis]], and Probalinthus to the tribe [[Pandionis]]; but Marathon was so superior to the other three, that its name was applied to the whole district down to the latest times. Hence [[Lucian]] speaks of "the parts of Marathon about Oenoë".<ref>Μαραθῶνος τὰ περὶ τὴν Οἰνόην, ''Icaro-Menip.'' 18.</ref> Few places have obtained such celebrity in the history of the world as Marathon, on account of the victory which the Athenians here gained over the [[ancient Persia|Persians]] in 490&nbsp;BCE ([[Battle of Marathon]]). After [[Miltiades the Younger|Miltiades]] (the general of the Greek forces) defeated [[Darius I of Persia|Darius]]' Persian forces, the Persians decided to sail from Marathon to Athens in order to sack the unprotected city. Miltiades ordered all his [[hoplite]] forces to march "double time" back to Athens, so that by the time Darius' troops arrived they saw the same Greek force waiting for them. Although the name Marathon had a positive resonance in Europe in the nineteenth century, for some time that was sullied by the [[Dilessi murders]], which happened nearby in 1870. In the 19th century and beginning of twentieth century the village was inhabited by Albanian population ([[Arvanites]]). Thomas Chase, an English traveller, describes his meeting with ‘an old Albanian’ in Marathon and also says that they ‘accosted some Albanian children playing near a well, but they did not understand modern Greek.’ <ref> ‘‘Passing, after a few hours, the little hamlet of Stamata, from a hill-top we caught a glimpse of the beautiful sea and shore of Marathon, and saw, as we descended a mountain slope by a long, steep path, paved in part with slippery stones, the little village of Marathona. Pushing on towards this village, we came upon a large meadow, at whose western end, on our left, stood a high round tower of mediaeval date. Towards this the old Albanian began to run, pointing, gesticulating, and shouting, here was the battle fought ; this was the ground that had drunk the blood of the Turks. " The Turks! " said I. " Pshaw ! show me the field where your old Greeks routed the Persians." " The Persians? " — the old man had never heard of them ; the name of Miltiades was equally strange to his ears;— so much for all his stories of guiding strangers to the immortal plain, all his boasts of familiarity with its localities. I explained the matter to my attendant, (for he knew no more of the history of Marathon than the old rustic,) and, in the first flush of vexation, we spurred our horses and galloped away from this profitless servant. We came soon to the banks of a little river (its course dry in the hot season), which, coming from among the hills, and washing the village of Marathona, crosses the battle-field, and empties into the sea. On its side and in its bed rose countless oleanders of large size, with their glorious blossoms in their fullest beauty,— the finest specimens I saw even in Greece. By this flowery hedge we rode to the village, and, after inquiring of an intelligent citizen the proper way to the field, at once began to descend to it. We accosted some Albanian children playing near a well, but they did not understand modern Greek. Our path lay by the side of the river, or in its wide bed, covered with sand, and large, round, white marble stones. ‘ Chase,Thomas, Hellas, her monuments and scenery, SEVER AND FRANCIS, Cambridge, pp. 102-103</ref> [https://archive.org/details/hellashermonumen00chas] Another English traveller Robert Hichens writes in 1913: ‘Some clustering low houses far off under the hills form the Albanian village of Marathon.’<ref> Hichens, The Near East, Dalmatia, Greece and Constantiople, Hodder and Stoght, London, 1913, p. 116.</ref> [https://archive.org/details/neareastdalmatia00hichuoft] [[File:Plain of Marathon 1.jpg|thumb|Plain of Marathon]] [[File:Marathon-See - Staumauer 2011.jpg|thumb|View of the [[Lake Marathon]]]] The [[sophist]] and magnate [[Herodes Atticus]] was born in Marathon. In 1926, the American company ULEN began construction on the [[Marathon Dam]] in a valley above Marathon, in order to ensure water supply for [[Athens]]. It was completed in 1929. About 10&nbsp;km² of forested land were flooded to form [[Lake Marathon]]. The beach of Schinias is located southeast of the town and it is a popular [[windsurfing]] spot and the [[Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre|Olympic Rowing Center]] for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] is also located there. At the [[1896 Summer Olympics|1896]] and [[2004 Summer Olympics]], Marathon was the starting point of the [[marathon (sport)|marathon]] races (for both women and men in 2004).<ref name=dw>Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Track & Field (Men): Marathon". In ''The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition''. London: Aurum Press Limited. p. 133.</ref><ref>[http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004b.pdf 2004 Summer Olympics official report.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819195306/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/2004/or2004b.pdf |date=2008-08-19 }} Volume 2. p. 242.</ref> The area is susceptible to [[flash flooding]], because of forest fires having denuded parts of the eastern slopes of Mount [[Penteli]] especially in 2006. ==Municipality== The municipality Marathon was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:<ref name=Kallikratis>[http://www.kedke.gr/uploads2010/FEKB129211082010_kallikratis.pdf Kallikratis law] Greece Ministry of Interior {{el icon}}</ref> *[[Grammatiko]] *Marathon *[[Nea Makri]] *[[Varnavas]] The municipality has an area of 222.747 km², the municipal unit 97.062 km².<ref name=stat01>{{cite web|url=http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |publisher=National Statistical Service of Greece |title=Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation) |language=el |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921212047/http://dlib.statistics.gr/Book/GRESYE_02_0101_00098%20.pdf |archivedate=2015-09-21 |df= }}</ref> ==Population== {| class=wikitable ! Year !! Town !! Municipal unit !! Municipality |- | 1981 || 4,841 || - || - |- | 1991 || 5,453 || 12,979 || - |- | 2001 || 4,399 || 8,882 || - |- | 2011 || 7,170 || 12,849 || 33,423 |} The other settlements in the municipal unit are Agios Panteleimonas (pop. 1,591), Kato Souli (2,142), Vranas (1,082), Avra (191), Vothon (177), Ano Souli (232), and Schinias (264). == Points of interest == [[File:Marathon, the mound of the Plataeans.jpg|thumb|The ''Soros'', a burial mound ([[Marathon tumuli]]) to the fallen of the [[Battle of Marathon]]]] * The ''Soros'', a [[tumulus]] (Greek '' Τύμβος, tymbos'', tomb), or burial mound, erected to the 192 Athenian fallen at the Battle of Marathon, is a feature of the coastal plain, now marked by a marble memorial [[stele]] and surrounded by a small park.<ref>Aerial photograph in John Boardman, Jasper Griffin and Oswyn Murray, ''Greece and the Hellenistic World'' (Oxford History of the Classical World) 1988, vol. I p. 34.</ref> * [[Kato Souli Naval Transmission Facility]] with its {{convert|250|m|adj=on}} tall radio mast, the tallest structure in Greece. ==Sister cities== * {{flagicon|USA}} [[Hopkinton, Massachusetts]], United States * {{flagicon|China}} [[Xiamen]], China ==See also== *[[List of municipalities of Attica]] *[[List of settlements in Attica]] *[[Dimitrion Yordanidis]], oldest man to have run the marathon, at age 98 ==Notes and references== ;Notes {{reflist|group=n}} ;References {{reflist}} {{DGRG|title=Marathon}} ==External links== *[http://www.marathon.gr Official web site] {{el icon}} *[http://www.e-marathon.gr www.e-marathon.gr (in Greek)] {{Geographic location |Centre = Marathon |North = [[Grammatiko]] |Northeast = |East = ''[[Petalioi Gulf]]'' |Southeast = |South = [[Nea Makri]] |Southwest = [[Stamata]] |West = [[Kapandriti]], [[Afidnes]] |Northwest = [[Varnavas]] }} {{Kallikratis-Attica}} {{Marathon div}} {{1896 Summer Olympic venues}} {{2004 Summer Olympic venues}} {{Olympic venues athletics}} {{Olympic venues cycling}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Venues of the 1896 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Venues of the 2004 Summer Olympics]] [[Category:Olympic athletics venues]] [[Category:Olympic cycling venues]] [[Category:Cities in ancient Attica]] [[Category:Marathon, Greece| ]] [[Category:Populated places in East Attica]] [[Category:Battle of Marathon]] [[Category:Demoi]] [[Category:Ancient Greek cities]] [[Category:Populated places in ancient Attica]] [[Category:Locations in Greek mythology]]'