[aristeides]

Isn't the story that the original runner from Marathon arrived in Athens with news of the battle (or was it of the arrival of the Persians?) and then dropped dead?

[jae471]

It was news of the victory the Hellenes had over the Medes. Legend says the message was "Rejoice! We Conquer!". There is no real documentation of the run, so while a foot courier may have been dispatched to carry news to Athens, we really don't know what the real message, if any, was. Further, given the skill of the Greeks at long distance running, it is unlikely he would have died.

A true stroy about the Battle of Marathon involves Philippides, who ran from Marathon to Sparta to enlist Spartan soilders to fight along the Athenians. However, the Athenians attacked and won before the Spartans arrived. The distance from Marathon to Sparta is about 150 miles, and Philippides coverd this distance in less than two days, on foot.