Games and Sanctuaries in Ancient Greece: Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia, Nemea, Athens

Games and Sanctuaries in Ancient Greece: Olympia, Delphi, Isthmia, Nemea, Athens

As religious rituals, rites of passage, and celebrations of the body, athletics were deeply woven into the fabric of ancient Greek life. Modeled after physical exercises and competitions that existed in earlier Near Eastern cultures, hundreds of athletic contests took place throughout the ancient Greek world. In the eighth century B.C., the games held at Olympia began to surpass all others in their fame and glory and gave rise to a sporting tradition that engages and enthralls the world to this day. Published to coincide with the return of the Olympics to Greece in 2004, this thoroughly researched book studies sport in ancient Greece over a span of a millennium and a half-from the earliest mentions of athletics in Homer's Iliad and other literary sources, through the Classical age, and into the Hellenistic, Roman, and late antique periods. With more than five hundred illustrations, the book tours the monumental stadiums, bathhouses, temples, and other structures built to host the athletic events and to house the wealth of art created to pay tribute to the athletes, gods, and heroes of the games.

Panos Valavanis

Los Angeles : J. Paul Getty Museum

Introduction. Athletes and religion ; The prehistory of athletics ; Great festivals and games -- Olympia. The site ; Olympia and the Olympic Games ; Zeus ; Olympia over the centuries -- Delphi. The site ; Foundation myths and legends ; Apollo ; Delphi through the ages -- Isthmia. The site ; Foundation myths and legends ; Poseidon ; Isthmia over the centuries -- Nemea. The site ; Foundation myths ; Nemea over the centuries. -- The Panathenaia. Foundation myths and traditions ; Athena ; The organisation and conduct of the festival: The preparation of the festival, The officials, The Panathenaic procession, The contests, Venues for the preparation and conduct of the games, The end of the Panathenaia -- Other Greek and Roman games. Local games in Greece: The Heraia at Argos, Games in Macedonia, The games at Larisa, The Asklepieia of Epidauros ; Games in the Hellenistic East ; The games and the Roman emperors ; Games in the East in Roman times: The Olympic Games of Antioch ; The end of the ancient games -- The events, rules and great champions. Running ; The pentathlon: Jumping, Discus, Javelin ; The heavy events: Wrestling, Boxing, The pankration ; Equestrian events: The races, The rules, Famous owners and charioteers.

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