Marathon
how one battle changed Western civilisation
Richard Billows
‘For anyone curious about one of the founding achievements of what became the great Athenian republic this is a cracker of a read.’
Stephen Matchett, The Weekend Australian
A fresh, gripping look at one of Western history’s defining moments
The inspiration for our modern-day marathon comes from the legend of Philippides, who is said to have run 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to deliver the news of the Greeks’ victory over the Persians. Yet the battle of Marathon has had a far greater impact; it can even be seen as the most significant moment in our collective history.
In this riveting account, Richard A. Billows re-creates the atmosphere of the times and captures the drama of the day of battle. He describes how 10,000 Athenian citizens managed an unthinkable victory over a Persian military force of 25,000, a remarkable defeat that secured Greek freedom and led to the flowering of classical Greek culture — thus helping to establish the basis of Western civilisation.
Marathon is an engrossing treatment of this pivotal battle 2500 years ago and the ramifications it has had throughout Western history.
Reviews
‘Acutely sensitive … Billows, taking the long view, sees Marathon as preserving Athenian democracy and thus all that we think of as our classical heritage.’
Wall Street Journal
‘The story’s a classic: An outnumbered band of Athenians pushes back the mighty Persian army. But the battle of Marathon, 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece, left a legacy that extends far beyond the name of a famous race.’
National Public Radio
» All reviews for this title‘Even if you’re tough enough to survive the New York City Marathon, you’d probably have little chance to survive the original race in which Greek messenger Pheidippides ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to announce victory over the Persians. Historian Billows argues that Pheidippides’ run, which inspired the modern marathon race, introduced at the Athens Olympic Games of 1896, was a lot more challenging — a 280-mile round-trip jog to Sparta to ask for aid, with the entire Greek army in tow.’
New York Post
