First Marathon in History: The 490 BC Story and What Really Happened

By Lauren Holland

Updated November 2026

The first marathon in history is traditionally linked to a run from the plain of Marathon to Athens in 490 BC, when a messenger is said to have carried news of a Greek victory over the Persians. The story is famous, but historians treat the details with care. The core event is well attested. The dramatic run to Athens is a later embellishment that became the foundation of the modern race.

Why the 490 BC Run Became the Origin Story

The main ancient source is the Greek writer Herodotus, who wrote about the Battle of Marathon but did not describe a long-distance run. The running story appears in later accounts, most notably in the writings of Plutarch and Lucian, who lived centuries after the battle. Over time, the messenger became associated with the name Pheidippides, and the distance grew into the familiar run from Marathon to Athens.

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When the modern Olympics were revived in 1896, organizers in Athens wanted a race that connected the games to Greek history. The Marathon-to-Athens route was a natural choice, and that link gave the event its name and its legendary character. You can read more about the messenger in Who Ran the First Marathon in Ancient Greece? The Pheidippides Story.

What the Evidence Actually Supports

Several details separate the documented history from the legend:

• The battle is real. The Athenians and their allies defeated the Persian force at Marathon in 490 BC, a fact supported by multiple ancient sources.
• The run is not confirmed by Herodotus. The earliest surviving account of a run from the battlefield to Athens comes centuries later.
• The distance was fixed later. The roughly 26-mile length of the modern marathon was set at the 1908 London Olympics, not in antiquity.
• The first modern race was in 1896. It was won by Spyridon Louis, a Greek water carrier, on a course that ran roughly from Marathon to the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.

For a clear look at the timeline, see When Was the First Marathon? The 490 BC Story and Key Dates. For the question of who ran that first modern race, Who Won the First Marathon? The 490 BC Story and the Winner covers the details.

How to Think About the Story Today

If you are writing about the history, or simply sharing it with other runners, a few habits will keep you accurate:

1. Separate the battle (well documented) from the run (later tradition).
2. Name your sources. Herodotus is the earliest; Plutarch and Lucian came much later.
3. Say “traditionally” or “according to later accounts” when describing the messenger’s run.
4. Remember that the 26.2-mile distance and the modern race format come from the 1900s, not from ancient Greece.
5. Check the Olympic history for the 1896 and 1908 races if you need exact dates or results.

FAQ

Did the first marathon really happen in 490 BC?

The Battle of Marathon in 490 BC is historically documented. The idea that a messenger ran from the battlefield to Athens is a later tradition, so the run itself is best described as legendary rather than proven.

Who ran the first modern marathon?

The first modern marathon was held at the 1896 Athens Olympics and was won by Spyridon Louis of Greece. The event was designed to recall the ancient story.

Why is the marathon 26.2 miles?

The distance was standardized at the 1908 London Olympics. It was not based on the ancient run, which was never measured in the modern sense.

About Lauren Holland

Lauren Holland is part of our editorial team and reviews and edits our marathon & half-marathon guides, checking product details against manufacturer specifications and owner feedback.