Marathon is a town located in Greece within the East Attica regional unit on the outskirts of Athens. It serves as a prominent center for agriculture and functions as a popular resort destination today.
The site is historically significant as the location of the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, where an outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persian forces. According to legend, a Greek herald named Pheidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory, an event that inspired the creation of the modern marathon running race.