Most historians believe the game evolved over time, with rules and regulations and professional teams as later developments. The Summer Olympic Games won't come to Greece until 2004, but one contest already has begun. Environmentalists and archaeologists have joined together to protest the construction of a water sports complex for the Olympics. The site for the complex is the battlefield of Marathon, located on a plain northeast of Athens. Many people think the water complex would threaten the historic site.
Historians consider the battle to be a major turning point in history.
The Persians were unable to push forward into Europe and Greek civilization continued to flourish. The Greeks eventually laid the foundation for Western culture and democracy. The battlefield also gave rise to a famous legend. A Greek soldier ran about 25 miles from Marathon to Athens to tell of the Greek victory. Today that feat is commemorated in the 26.2-mile race we know as a marathon.