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Politics

Journeys in Europe: Greece - Marathon to Athens

December 26, 2012

Jou For long-distance runners, it's the lodestar: the road from Marathon to Athens. It's an iconic route and right now it leads to the heart of the Eurozone crisis.

https://p.dw.com/p/15za6

Now more than ever, Greece needs staying power. That can be sensed along the historical route from Marathon to the Greek capital. Legend has it that in 490 BCE, a messenger ran the distance to inform the Athenians of Greek victory over the Persians at the battle of Marathon. Nowadays, along the Marathon-Athens highway, there's a great deal of resignation among the population in the face of austerity measures and a weakening economy. The way out of debt promises to be not a sprint, but a real marathon.