Page "Pheidippides" Paragraph 3

The traditional story relates that Pheidippides ( 530 BC – 490 BC ), an Athenian herald or hemerodrome ( translated as " day-runner " ( Kyle 2007 ), courier ( Larcher 1806 ), " professional-running courier " ( Sears 2003 ) or " day-long runner " ( Miller 2006 )), was sent to Sparta to request help when the Persians landed at Marathon, Greece.

He ran in two days.

He then ran the from the battlefield near Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon ( 490 BC ) with the word νικωμεν ’ ( nikomen –" We have won "), as stated by Lucian " chairete, nikomen " (" hail, we are the winners ") to then collapse and die.