What Is The Archaeological Marathon Museum?

The Archaeological Museum of Marathon is in the town of Marathon, Attica, Greece. It is the place where the marathon race was born.

The museum mainly houses findings originating from the Battle of Marathon and from the Egyptian temple nearby. It is small but also includes more than 3,100 rare exhibits that present the modern history of the Marathon Race from 1896 until this day.

The collection includes valuable exhibits such as the medal and other personal items owned by the first Olympic Marathon Road Race winner, Spyros Louis, as well as cups and items of Kyriakides, the winner of the International Marathon Race of Boston 1946 to mention but two. There are many more paraphernalia on display.

History

The Archaeological Museum of Marathon was built in 1975 and is a small but interesting museum that completes the archaeological site of Marathon. It is located nearby the memorial tomb of the battle of Marathon. The exhibits cover a time span from the Prehistoric to the Late Roman era and derive from the excavated sites – mainly cemeteries – of the region.

The name Marathon comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. According to the legend he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. The battle took place in 490 BC.

He ran the entire distance without stopping and rushed into the assembly shouting We won, before apparently falling dead. Plutarch’s On the Glory of Athens written in the 1^st century AD mentions the run from Marathon to Athens but gives the runner’s name as Thersipus, Erchius or Eucles. Another story names him Phillippides.

Whether there is truth in the legend has been debated for centuries. Herodotus, a Greek historian, mentions Pheidippides that ran from Athens to Sparta and back asking for help. He does not mention a messenger send from Marathon to Athens.

According to Herodotus the Athenian army that won the battle feared a naval raid by the Persian fleet and marched from the battlefield to Athens, arriving on the same day.

Mount Penteli lies between Marathon and Athens, which means that Pheidippides had to either run north or south around the mountain. It is a route that matches the Marathon-Athens highway today. The legend also suggested that he followed another route namely a westward climb along the slopes of the mountain, through the pass of Dionysus and then on to Athens. This route is much shorter but includes a steep climb of over 5 kilometres.

When the modern Olympics began in 1896, the idea of a marathon race came from Michel Bréal. His was supported by the Greeks and Pierre de Coubertin, who was the founder of the modern Olympics.

Charilaos Vasilakos won the first introductory race for the modern Olympic marathon on 10 March 1896. He won it in three hours and 18 minutes. The first real race was won on 10 April by Spyridon “Spyros” Louis in two hours 58 minutes and 50 seconds.

The first women’s marathon was introduced in 1984 at the Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, USA and was won by Joan Benoit of the United States with a time of two hours 24 minutes and 52 seconds.

The marathon of the 2004 Summer Olympics revived the traditional route from Marathon to Athens, ending at Panathinaikos Stadium, the same venue as the one for the 1896 Summer Olympics.

Interest For Today

The permanent exhibition in the Archaeological Marathons Museum presents the history of the Olympic Marathons 1896 to 2000. More than 4000 exhibits portraying this unique historical sporting collection can be seen.

The exhibition is separated into two major sections. In the first the history of the Olympic Marathon Race is presented through the collection of rare objects. In the second, the international movement of the marathon race, is recorded in individual thematic sections. The sections are dedicated to the Marathon Races held in every corner of the world, as well as to the Olympic Champions. It mentions men and women and exhibits the equipment of the athletes.

Some of the more precious items exhibited is:

• The authentic medal of Spyros Louis, the first winner of the Olympic Marathon in April 1986. There is also a copy of the cup he received at the Panathenaic Stadium and some of his personal belongings.
• The medals, athletic and personal belongings of Harilaos Vasilakos, the winner of the first Marathon in history on the “Marathon to Athens course” in March 1896 and the second winner in 1896 Olympic Marathon, is also exhibited.
• Cups, medals and numerous relics of Stelios Kyriakides, the legendary marathon road race athlete and patriot who won the Boston International Marathon in 1946.
• Various artifacts from the life and achievements of Grigoris Lambrakis, Member of Greek Parliament, Balkan Games medallist, and pacifist.
• The famous flag with the emblem of peace from the peace march of 1963.
• There are also athletic exhibits of the great Japanese women marathoners, Naoko Takahashi, gold medallist Sydney 2000, Mizuki Noguchi, gold medallist Athens 2004, Yuko Arimori, silver medallist Barcelona 1992 and bronze medallist Atlanta 1996.
• Exhibits of the Swiss Champion Marathoner Franzisca Rochat Mozer.
• A collection of treasured medals, cups, and a variety of exhibits from all the great Greek Marathon Champions, men, and women.

Hours of Business

• Winter: 1 November to 31 March daily from 8:30 – 15:30, except Tuesdays
• Summer: 15 June to 31 October daily from 9:00 – 16:00, except Tuesdays
• Last entry: 20 minutes before closing time.

Holidays

• 1 January
• 25 March
• Good Friday: closed until 12:00
• 1 May
• Easter Sunday
• 25 December
• 26 December

Tickets

• Full: €6, Reduced: €3

Free admission days

• 6 March (in memory of Melina Mercouri)
• 18 April (International Monuments Day)
• 18 May (International Museums Day)
• The last weekend of September annually (European Heritage Days)
• 28 October
• Every first Sunday from 1 November to 31 March

Contact information

• Address: 114, Platon avenue, Varnavas, Marathon, Greece
• Coordinates: 38°7′18.84″N, 23°56′48.12″E
• Telephone: +30 22940 55155

How To Get There

Marathon, Attica is approximately 45 kilometres north east from Athens and can be reach by train, bus, or car.