Marathon, Greece
Marathon
Μαραθώνας | |
---|---|
UTC+3 (EEST) | |
Postal code | 190 07 |
Area code(s) | 22940 |
Vehicle registration | Z |
Website | www.marathon.gr |
Marathon (
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Oinoi_Frankish_Tower_-_Near_Marathon%2C_May_2014_-_panoramio.jpg/220px-Oinoi_Frankish_Tower_-_Near_Marathon%2C_May_2014_-_panoramio.jpg)
The name "Marathon" (Μαραθών) comes from the herb fennel, called márathon (μάραθον) or márathos (μάραθος) in Ancient Greek,[3][n 2] so Marathon literally means "a place full of fennel".[5] It is believed that the town was originally named so because of an abundance of fennel plants in the area.
In ancient times, Marathon (
After Theseus united the 12 independent districts of Attica into one state, the name of Tetrapolis gradually fell into disuse; and the four places of which it consisted became Attic demi, Marathon, Tricorythus, and Oenoë belonging to the tribe
Few places have obtained such celebrity in the history of the world as Marathon, on account of the victory which the Athenians here gained over the
Although the name Marathon had a positive resonance in Europe in the nineteenth century, for some time that was sullied by the Dilessi murders, which happened nearby in 1870.
In the 19th century and beginning of twentieth century the village was inhabited by an Arvanite population.[15][16]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Plain_of_Marathon_1.jpg/220px-Plain_of_Marathon_1.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ed/Marathon-See_-_Staumauer_2011.jpg/220px-Marathon-See_-_Staumauer_2011.jpg)
The sophist and magnate Herodes Atticus was born in Marathon. In 1926, the American company ULEN began construction on the Marathon Dam in a valley above Marathon, in order to ensure water supply for Athens. It was completed in 1929. About 10 km2 of forested land were flooded to form Lake Marathon.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Statue_Nik%C3%A9_-_Marathon_%28GRA2%29_-_2022-03-21_-_3.jpg/220px-Statue_Nik%C3%A9_-_Marathon_%28GRA2%29_-_2022-03-21_-_3.jpg)
The beach of Schinias is located southeast of the town. The beach is popular as a spot for
Municipality
The municipality Marathon was formed at the 2011 local government reform by the merger of the following 4 former municipalities, that became municipal units:[19]
- Grammatiko
- Marathon
- Nea Makri
- Varnavas
The municipality has an area of 222.747 km2, the municipal unit 97.062 km2.[20]
Population
Year | Town | Municipal unit | Municipality |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | 4,841 | - | - |
1991 | 5,453 | 12,979 | - |
2001 | 4,399 | 8,882 | - |
2011 | 7,170 | 12,849 | 33,423 |
2021 | 5,260 | 10,063 | 31,331 |
The other settlements in the municipal unit are Agios Panteleimonas, Kato Souli, Vranas, Avra, Vothon, Ano Souli and Schinias.
Points of interest
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Marathon%2C_the_mound_of_the_Plataeans.jpg/220px-Marathon%2C_the_mound_of_the_Plataeans.jpg)
- The Soros, a tumulus (Greek Τύμβος, tymbos, tomb), or burial mound, erected to the 192 Athenian fallen at the Battle of Marathon, is a feature of the coastal plain, now marked by a marble memorial stele and surrounded by a small park.[21]
- Kato Souli Naval Transmission Facility with its 250-metre (820 ft) tall radio mast, the tallest structure in Greece.
Sister cities
Hopkinton, Massachusetts, United States
Xiamen, China
See also
- List of municipalities of Attica
- List of settlements in Attica
- Dimitrion Yordanidis, oldest man to have run the marathon, at age 98
Notes and references
- Notes
- References
- ^ Municipality of Marathon, Municipal elections – October 2023, Ministry of Interior
- ^ "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού - Κατοικιών 2021, Μόνιμος Πληθυσμός κατά οικισμό" [Results of the 2021 Population - Housing Census, Permanent population by settlement] (in Greek). Hellenic Statistical Authority. 29 March 2024.
- Perseus Project.
- ^ "The Linear B word ma-ra-tu-wo". Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of Ancient languages. Raymoure, K.A. "ma-ra-tu-wo". Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B. Deaditerranean. Archived from the original on 2019-07-05. Retrieved 2014-03-19. "MY 602 Ge (57)". "MY 606 Ge + fr. (57)". "MY 605 Ge + 607 + fr. [+] 60Sa + fr. [+] 605b + frr. (57)". DĀMOS: Database of Mycenaean at Oslo. University of Oslo.
- ^ Μαραθών in Liddell and Scott.
- ^ Strabo. Geographica. Vol. viii. p.383. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
- ^ Stephanus of Byzantium. Ethnica. Vol. sub voce Τετμάπολις.
- ^ Pausanias (1918). "15.3". Description of Greece. Vol. 1. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library., 1.35.4.
- ^ Plutarch, Thes. 14; Strabo. Geographica. Vol. ix. p. 399. Page numbers refer to those of Isaac Casaubon's edition.
- ^ Pausanias (1918). "27.10". Description of Greece. Vol. 1. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library.
- ^ Homer. Odyssey. Vol. 7.80.
- ^ Pausanias (1918). "1.1". Description of Greece. Vol. 2. Translated by W. H. S. Jones; H. A. Ormerod. Cambridge, Massachusetts; London: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann – via Perseus Digital Library., 2.6.5, 1.15.3, 1.32.4
- ^ Plutarch, Thes. 32.
- ^ Μαραθῶνος τὰ περὶ τὴν Οἰνόην, Icaro-Menip. 18.
- ^ Chase, Thomas, Hellas, her monuments and scenery, Sever and Francis, Cambridge, pp. 102–103 [1]
- ^ Hichens, The Near East, Dalmatia, Greece and Constantiople, Hodder and Stoght, London, 1913, p. 116. [2]
- ^ Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Track & Field (Men): Marathon". In The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press Limited. p. 133.
- ^ 2004 Summer Olympics official report. Archived 2008-08-19 at the Wayback Machine Volume 2. p. 242.
- ^ "ΦΕΚ B 1292/2010, Kallikratis reform municipalities" (in Greek). Government Gazette.
- ^ "Population & housing census 2001 (incl. area and average elevation)" (PDF) (in Greek). National Statistical Service of Greece. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-21.
- ^ Aerial photograph in John Boardman, Jasper Griffin and Oswyn Murray, Greece and the Hellenistic World (Oxford History of the Classical World) 1988, vol. I p. 34.
Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Marathon". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.
Bibliography
- Δεκουλάκου, Ιφιγένεια (2021). "Ανασκαφή στο ιερό των Αιγυπτίων θεών τον Μαραθώνα". Πρακτικά Αρχαιολογικής Εταιρείας. 176: 19–32.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official web site (in Greek)
- www.e-marathon.gr (in Greek)