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Glite Dictionary
battle of Marathon

battle of Marathon

7.2
A fight in 490 BC near Marathon, Greece in which the Athenians defeat Persian invaders
  • noun
  • /ˈbætəl əv ˈmærəˌθɒn/
translation icon : batalla de Maratón
  • In 490 BC, the battle of Marathon marked a pivotal moment in Greek history as the Athenians triumphed over invading forces.

Examples

  • The Athenians secured a historic victory at the battle of Marathon against the Persians in 490 BC.

  • Many argued that the site was the location of the famous battle of Marathon ("Olympic Battle," July/August 2001) and should not be spoiled with construction.

    Academic text (2004)

  • The battle of Marathon is celebrated every year, commemorating the bravery of the Athenian soldiers who fought against Persia.

Synonyms

Marathon
vsbattle of Marathon
50 7.1

A battle in 490 BC near Marathon, Greece, where Athenians with fewer soldiers defeat the Persian army

emphasizes the joint Athenian and allied victory over invading Persian forces

Surface Forms

battle of Marathon singular
battles of Marathon plural

Morphology

battle + of + Marathon

The phrase is compositionally built from 'battle' (a large fight) + 'of' (linking) + 'Marathon' (place/name), so a B1 learner who knows those constituents will infer it refers to a battle that took place at Marathon. Although specific historical details (date, belligerents) are not deducible from the words alone, the core locative event meaning is directly predictable and follows common cross-linguistic patterns.

Etymology

The battle of Marathon was fought in 490 BC on the plain of Marathon, where Athenian soldiers defeated the Persian army. One popular story says a messenger ran from the battlefield to Athens to bring the news, and that long run inspired the modern 'marathon race'. So, today the name remembers both the famous fight and the idea of a long run.