According to Herodotus, an Athenian runner named Pheidippides was sent to run from Athens to Sparta (225 km, 140 miles) to ask for assistance before the battle. Then, following the battle, the Athenian army marched quickly the 40 km (25 miles) to Athens, in order to head off the Persian forces. Later these two events became confused with each other, leading to a legendary but inaccurate story (first recorded by Plutarch in 1st century AD) of Pheidippides running from Marathon to Athens after the battle, to announce the Greek victory.