The Battle of Marathon was a pivotal encounter during the first Persian invasion of Greece. The Athenian army, heavily outnumbered, successfully repelled the Persian forces of King Darius I. This victory proved that the Persians were not invincible and gave the Greeks the confidence to resist future invasions. Legend has it that a messenger named Pheidippides ran from the battlefield to Athens (about 26 miles) to announce the victory, famously shouting 'Nike!' (Victory!) before collapsing and dying. This event is credited with preserving the burgeoning Athenian democracy and Greek culture, which would eventually form the foundation of Western civilization. Had the Persians won, the classical age of Greece—including the works of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle—might never have occurred.