This story appears in the November/December 2016 issue of National Geographic History magazine. Sparta’s enemies, when facing the intimidating Spartan forces, would see a wall of shields ...

Did the ancient Greek soldier Pheidippides actually run the distance ... called for Pheidippides running with a military message from Athens to Sparta and back again within an incredible three days.

When the Persian army landed at Marathon ... Setting out from Athens, Phidippides made for Sparta journeying by way of Eleusis, Megara, and Corinth. Greek couriers of his day are believed to ...

The assembly responded by declaring war on Sparta. Pericles insisted that Athens would win the war ... made one of the most famous speeches of Ancient Greek history, called the Funeral Oration.

Wars are no longer merely battles of physical strength. They are conflicts in which intelligence, technology, and science ...

In ancient times, Greece wasn't a single country like it is today. It was made up of lots of smaller states. These states were always squabbling and often went to war. Sparta and Athens fought a ...

The 41st Athens Marathon kicks off with a historic race, celebrating athletic legacy and honoring the spirit of the ancient marathon.

Many self-professed champions of freedom throughout the centuries have looked to ancient ... military adventures abroad in ...

About 2,500 years ago Greece was one of the most important places in the ancient ... Athens, Sparta, Corinth and Olympia. Each city-state ruled itself. They had their own governments, laws and army.