I like to think about Philippides and how amasing he was. Philippides was a runner in the greek army. When king Darius of Persia landed at the plains of Marathon to begin his invasion of Greece, all of the Greek city-states had sent their armies to fight. Except Sparta. Sparta was the most feared of any of the city-states for simply the fact that every boy began training for the army at the age of 8. All farming and other such occupations were reserved for slaves so the entire male populace could be free for millitary service. Anyway, when king Darius landed, the greeks sent a runner to Sparta to ask them to come fight. The runner's name was Philippides. The Spartans said "No, we are having a festival now, but in about ten days we will be free." So Philippides ran all the way back to Marathon to tell the Greeks the Spartans weren't coming. The Greeks decided to fight anyway, and make their last stand at Marathon. The Greeks ended up winning at Marathon, but while the fighting was raging, Darius sent all of his calvary on ships around the pennisula to attack Athens while all of the Greeks were at Marathon. After the battle, the Greeks sent Philippides to Athens to tell the Athenians of the victory, and to get inside the city walls because the Persians were coming. From Athens to Marathon it is 21.4 miles, and from Marathon to Sparta it is about 55 miles. Quite the endurance, don't you think?
Not that you really cared to know...
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