Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1273: Marathon Finals

Some suggested starting near the Thurii Military Camp and running to the Hot Spring Marsh. This route held tremendous commemorative significance, as the annihilation battle at the marsh was the foundational victory of Daionia. It would also fully maximize the abilities of the Thurian competitors; the Thurians participating in the Marathon were young soldiers from the First and Second Legions who conducted military marches around the camp year-round and were perfectly acclimated to the terrain.

Others proposed starting near the Port of Thurii and running all the way to the Inner District. This possessed equally excellent commemorative significance, as it was where Davos had landed with his mercenaries before ultimately establishing the Kingdom of Daunia in Thurii City. Furthermore, it would be convenient for the final award ceremony.

Still others recommended placing the starting line near the Port of Thurii and the finish line below the mountains of Amendolara. This too held great significance; when King Davos first led his army to land in Magna Graecia from the Port of Thurii, Amendolara was where they secured their very first foothold. Furthermore, this flat route would allow all competitors to perform at their best.

After repeated deliberation, Crotokatax and the Daonian Games Organizing Committee ultimately adopted the third suggestion. The primary reason was simple: the route was flat and open, helping ensure as many competitors as possible smoothly finished the race. Since the Marathon was being held for the very first time, an overly difficult course that caused many runners to fail would be detrimental to the event's future promotion.

Ever since the Theonian Rugby Games began, the Marathon had drawn intense attention from both the Daionian public and foreign tourists. Like the boat races, the course covered too vast an area to charge admission. Thus, on the day of the competition, the people of Thurii and the surrounding region, tourists included, flocked to line both sides of the track. The entire route from the Port of Thurii to the foothills of Amendolara was packed with layers of spectators. To prevent any interference with the race, Crotokatax even mobilized the army to maintain order.

The spectator turnout was massive, and the lineup of competitors was equally grand. Two years ago, when the Daonian Games Organizing Committee publicly announced the creation of the Marathon, a saying began to slowly spread throughout the Greek World: "Only those who can complete the entire Marathon are true athletes." Influenced by this sentiment, over two hundred runners registered for the event.

There were no preliminaries and no semifinals. A single race would decide the victor.

When the sharp starting whistle blew, the runners swarmed onto the track. Amidst the deafening cheers of the crowd, they steadily began their long journey toward the finish line.

The finish line was packed with an equal sea of people. The thoughtful Daonian Games Organizing Committee had set up VIP seating on a nearby hill, providing an elevated vantage point to overlook the final stretch of the race. Representatives and envoys from the kingdom's various regions and the foreign city-states were now taking their seats.

"Only temporarily," Callistratus replied, waving his hand modestly. "The games aren't over yet, so nothing is certain. Besides, we all know that being first or second doesn't mean much here. If you add up the scores obtained by all the different regions of Daionia, the total far exceeds what all of our city-states have achieved combined. Daionia is simply comparing its individual regions against our city-states as a whole."

"So what? Since Daionia chose this method to compare the athletic strength of the various city-states, we must graciously accept defeat if we lose," Pelopidas said righteously. "Not to mention that Daionia's Thurii Region exceeds our city-states in population, land area, and prosperity. Winning is simply a reflection of their true strength."

"You make a fair point," Callistratus responded, his tone somewhat perfunctory. In truth, that was exactly what he was thinking: these days, Athens lagged far behind Thurii in military power, population, land area, and trade volume. But at the very least, Athens still held the upper hand in athletic competition.

"Listening to the two of you, one would think you've already secured first place. But let me tell you, our Arcadia is only two points behind Athens. Who knows? Once the Marathon is over, Arcadia might just overtake you. We have several excellent long-distance runners." The sudden interjection came from Lycomedes.

The Organizing Committee's decision to seat the envoys of the top-ranking city-states on the Medal Board next to one another was truly a masterstroke of deliberate planning.

"If we are talking about long-distance experts, our Boeotian League has quite a few as well. Pantacles already claimed the crown in the three-thousand-meter race, and he has entered the Marathon too. The final championship will definitely belong to him!" Pelopidas said rather smugly. Just moments ago he had been congratulating Callistratus, but now he wore a triumphant expression, as if he were already clutching first place on the Medal Board.

"Can a three-thousand-meter race even be compared to the Marathon? That is an ultra-long distance of nearly ten li!" Callistratus, who had looked so humble just a moment ago, refused to be outdone. "The reason the Theonian Rugby Games even has this event is because of Athens' glorious battle—Marathon! We have more than fifteen runners competing today. For over a year, they have trained tirelessly every single day, all to bring this rightful Athenian glory back to Athens!"

"You're thinking too highly of yourselves, Callistratus," Lycomedes sneered. "While it's true that the Marathon originated from Athens, can the Athenian athletes of today really secure a good placement in this race? I'm not optimistic. The Marathon requires more than just abundant stamina; it requires an iron will to run such an immense distance. Can the Athenians, who are so used to living in comfort, endure such hardship? I highly doubt it! On the other hand, we Arcadians trek through the mountains every single day. We are far more capable of bearing hardships."

"The people most capable of enduring hardship are farmers. Are you suggesting that anyone could win this event just by sending out a farmer?!"

...

Watching these three men—arguably the most powerful figures among the city-states of the Greek Mainland—bicker over whether their respective city-states could secure the final victory on the scoreboard, Epaminondas couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He recalled how relaxed they had all looked at the opening ceremony, filled with curiosity and even a hint of mockery. Now, they were completely engrossed in the games. It wasn't just them; looking around at the envoys from the other city-states, the situation was exactly the same. Even though this was the Theonians' first time hosting the games, just like everything else they did, it was bound to be a massive success.

With those thoughts in mind, Epaminondas finally spoke up. "There's no need for you to argue. I believe the champion of this Marathon will very likely be a Daionian athlete."

"Why?" Pelopidas asked. He knew his close friend rarely spoke out of turn, but whenever he did, his words carried weight.

Epaminondas answered seriously, "Based on my understanding of the Daionian Army, the sacred kingdom of Daionia subjects its citizens to long-term military training year after year. One of the most important aspects of that training is armed long-distance running. Almost every seven days, they conduct a run of over five li. As a result, the Daionian Army marches incredibly fast during wartime and possesses exceptional combat endurance. This trait has been demonstrated in multiple major battles involving Daionian forces."

Callistratus, Pelopidas, and Lycomedes looked at one another, suddenly falling silent.

Even though Epaminondas' reasoning was sound, Callistratus and the others still clung to a sliver of hope. After more than an hour of waiting, the competing runners finally appeared in their line of sight. However, no matter how wide they opened their eyes or how intently they stared, they couldn't spot any familiar figures among the leading group. Instead, the spectators lining the track erupted into thunderous cheers, even shouting the leading runner's name in unison.

Callistratus and the others immediately felt a wave of dismay. For the overwhelmingly Theonian crowd to react this passionately, the runners at the front could only be Theonians—and most likely Thurians at that.

Their deduction was spot on. The leading runners were all from the Thurii Region, and the man at the very front was named Arsinis. Right now, despite the prolonged period of grueling running, he felt no fatigue. On the contrary, he was growing more and more exhilarated.

Compared to his immaturity five years ago, today's Arsinis served as a core member of the First Legion. At the start of the year, he had been promoted to squad leader, and he had even married the daughter of a military Senator. This year had been one of immense joy for him. Two days from now would mark the anniversary of his biological father's death. He was determined to win the Marathon championship so he could offer this glory before his father's tomb. He wanted to tell the father who had died in battle before he was even born: 'Your son has grown into an indomitable man. You can rest easy in the Elysian Fields!'

The weather today was exceptionally cool. The damp sea breeze brushed against his face. Listening to the crowd loudly chanting his name—the very same name as his biological father—his strides grew wider, his pace growing faster and faster...

...

The top three spots in the Marathon were ultimately claimed by Daionian athletes, and all three hailed from Daionia's First and Second Legions. As a result, the Thurii Region's overall score in the games completely surpassed Athens in one fell swoop, seizing first place on the scoreboard.

This crushed the hopes of Callistratus and his peers, but it also allowed the envoys from the other city-states to breathe a sigh of relief. After all, heavily influenced by Daionia's formidable national strength over the past few years, it was perfectly normal for them to harbor such thoughts: 'It is only natural for Daionia to take first place in the games, but what right does Athens have to step over our heads?'