The West's first stand: Marathon: at the dawn of what was to become Western Civilization, the Athenians won an amazing victory over the Persians at Marathon. From: The New American | Date: April 2, 2007| Author: Scaliger, Charles | COPYRIGHT 2007 American Opinion Publishing, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

The man ran along the dusty road, mile after mile in the blazing late summer Mediterranean sun. Past groves of olives and fields of wheat, past farms and villages, his body soaked with perspiration, his runner's frame never flagging, he ran without pause toward Athens, which lay more than 20 mountainous miles ahead. Even when curious knots of onlookers tried to stop him, the man ran on, his eyes riveted to the road. The news he bore was for the ears of Athenians alone, the greatest ...