2 Euro BU

Spyridon “Spyros” Louis was a Greek runner from Marousi near Athen. He became known for his victory in the marathon race at the first Olympic Games of the modern era in 1896 in Athen. Before that, he had not attracted attention as an international competitive athlete. His success made him a national symbol in Griechenland. After the Games, he largely withdrew from sport and led a life that attracted little public attention. He died in 1940.

The marathon race had been specifically added to the programme of the 1896 Games. The idea originated with the French linguist Michel Bréal. It was based on the tradition of an ancient messenger who was said to have brought the news of the Greek victory to Athen after the Battle of Marathon. In 1896, the course ran from Marathon to Athen and was approximately 40 kilometres long, shorter than the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres established later. Louis reached the finish first, thereby achieving the only Greek victory in a running event at these Games.

The silver cup known as the “Bréal-Pokal” had been donated by Michel Bréal for the winner of the marathon race. Its design refers to the ancient landscape of Marathon through plant motifs and a Greek inscription. The cup remained in the possession of Louis’s family for a long time and was later acquired by a Greek cultural foundation.

The Panathinaiko-Stadion stands on the site of an ancient Athenian stadium. It was renovated in the 19th century for the revival of athletic competitions and completely rebuilt in marble for the Olympic Games of 1896. Among other events, the marathon finish and the closing ceremony took place there.

The choice of the occasion therefore links a specific Greek athlete’s biography with the re-establishment of the Olympic Games. Louis’s finish also became part of the Greek remembrance of the 1896 Games in Athen and of the connection between modern sporting events and ancient traditions.