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.