Professional Documents
Culture Documents
GREEK ATHLETICS
NEW YORK
1933
COPYRICHT, 1 9 3 3 , BY
THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
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GREEK ATHLETICS 1
Athletics held a place in the life and education of the Greek
people from the earliest times, and played an important part in
their history. The great athletic festivals served to draw
together the little city states, too often at variance with one
another; while the love of outdoor life created a military strength
without which the Greek cities might soon have lost their independence. The vitality of their athletic spirit is shown by the
presence of Greek games on track and field today.
We are fortunately able to understand quite clearly the
different athletic events, for Greek artists found much of their
inspiration in scenes of the gymnasium and palaestra. Vases,
our most important record, reflect this phase of life in great
detail, while bronze and marble sculptures, gems and coins also
add to our knowledge. In the following pages the events of the
Greek pentathlonrunning, jumping, throwing the diskos and
the javelin, and wrestlingas well as the other common events,
such as boxing and horse-racing, are illustrated by scenes taken
from objects in The Metropolitan Museum of Art and other
collections.2
CHRISTINE ALEXANDER.
1
The standard handbook in English on Greek athletics is E. N. Gardiner, Greek Athletic
Sports and Festivals (London, 1910). Other useful works are J. H. Krause, Die Gymnastik und
Agonistik der Hellenen (Leipzig. 1841); J. Juthner, Uber antike Turngerathe (Vienna, 1896) and
Korperkulturim Altertum: Jenaer medizin-historische Beitrage, no. 12 (jena, 1928); B. Schroder,
Der. Sport im Altertum (Berlin, 1927); E. N. Gardiner, Athletics of the Ancient World (Oxford,
1930).
2
Sources of illustrations: Antike Denkmaler, II (1908), for p. 17 (3) and p. 21 (;); Archaologische Zeitung, 1883 and 1885, for p. 2) (2) and p. 26 (3); Brunn-Bruckmann, Denkmaler griechischer und romischer Skulptur, for p. 14 (1), p. 19 (2), and p. 21 (4); Furtwangler and Reichhold,
Griechische Vasenmalerei, for p. 5 (2, 3), p. 14 (4), p. 18 (3), p. 24 (1), p. 27 (1), and p. 29 (2);
Gerhard, Auserlesene griechische Vasenhilder, for p. 4 (1), p. 6 (1), p. 9 (1), p. 18 (2), p. 22(1).
and p. 29 (1); drawings by Lindsley F. Hall, for p. 10 (4), p. 15(1), and p. 31 (2); Hartwig, Griechische Meisterschalen des strengen rothfigurigen Slils, for p. 21 (2) and p. 25 (3); lnghirami,
Pitturi di vasi fittili etruschi, for p. 26 (2); Journal of Hellenic Studies, XXI11 (1903) and XXVII
(1907), for p. 7 (1) and p. 19 (1); (redrawn from) Juthner, (jber antike Turngerathe, for p. 17
(2); Nicole, Catalogue des vases peints du Musee Nationale d'Athenes, Supplement, for p. 1;
(5); Pfuhl, Malerei und Zeichnungder Griechen, for p. 20 (1); (redrawn from) Pottier, Catalogue
des vases antiques du Louvre, for p. 16 (3); (redrawn from) De Kidder, Catalogue des vases peints
de la Bibliotheque Nationale, for p. 3 (1). The rest of the illustrations are from photographs of the
objects or of casts of them.
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Athletes in the palaestra. The columns surmounted by slabs indicate a roofed enclosure. On the walls hang the usual paraphernalia: oil-flasks, strigils, sponges, a
diskos in its sling, and an empty sling. The poles stuck in the ground were used as
javelins and measuring rods.
From a kylix, Thorwaldsen Museum, Copenhagen, No. 112
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Athletes in the palaestra. One youth has taken off his himation and laid it carefully on a stool, and is preparing to rub his body with oil from a flask which hangs
from his wrist; another is folding his himation; a third is balancing himself while an
attendant draws a thorn from his foot.
From a krater, Altes Museum, Berlin, No. 2180
Athletes in the palaestra. Youths are practising with diskos and javelin; a sponge and
an oil-flask hang on the wall. The picks are used like the rakes in a modern athletic
meet for loosening the ground of the jumping pit.
From an amphora, Museum fur antike Kleinkunst, Munich, No. 2344
Wrestlers with their trainer in the palaestra. The trainer smells a flower as he
oversees the exercise.
From an amphora, Altes Museum, Berlin, No. 2159
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
Flute player. Greek athletes practised, wherever possible, to the music of the flute,
which served to time the action and give precision of movement. The flute player in
his long figured chiton often appears in athletic scenes.
From a lekythos, Metropolitan Museum of Art, No. 08.258.30
6
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T H E PENTATHLON
The Greek pentathlon (five contests), consisting of the foot-race,
broad jump, diskos and javelin throw, and wrestling match,
was characteristic of the whole of Greek physical training, and
the winner of the pentathlon was held to be the typical athlete.
I.
T H E FOOT-RACE
Runner with helmet, greaves, and shield, awaiting the signal to start,
armor appealed to the Greeks as a practical military exercise.
From an amphora, The Louvre, No. G214
Races in
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
Runner at the start. The runner, bending forward, stands with one foot in advance of
the other and one arm outstretched.
From a kylix, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, No. 28.48
Long-distance runners.
The arms are
held close to the sides, the chest out and
the head erect.
From an amphora, British Museum, No.
B609
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THE
PENTATHLONTHE
FOOT-RACE
Contestants in a race in armor. They wear helmet and greaves, and carry round
shields.
From a kylix, Altes Museum, Berlin, No. 2307
Armed runner (hoplitodromos) practising starts. He wears a helmet, and his arm
is crooked to hold a shield now missing.
A bronze statuette, Universitatsmuseum, Tubingen
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
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Atnlcte about to jump. He measures his distance with his eye, so as not to overstep
the mark. The take-off is perhaps indicated by the two javelins stuck in the ground.
From a skyphos, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, No. 10.176
Athlete about to take off for the jump. He swings the weights vigorously downward
and backward, the actual jump taking place on the return swing.
From a fragment of a kylix, Metropolitan Museum of Art, No. 06.1133
Jumper in mid-air. He has jumped high, and his arms and legs are extended to the
front. From a kylix, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, No. 01.8020
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
Jumper in mid-air. Just before alighting he forces his arms backward, and probably releases the halteres.
From a lekythos, Metropolitan Museum of Art, No. 08.258.30
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THE PENTATHLON
III.
T H E DISKOS THROW
Characteristic positions showing the evolution of the diskos throw. The athlete
swings the diskos forward and backward, either striding forward as he swings or shifting the left foot without changing the position of the right. He turns his head and
body as he swings, but does not make a complete turn as in the modem style. He
then throws the diskos as he pivots on his right leg, striding forward with his left on
the follow through.
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Marble diskoi. These weighed when whole about i6and 16.4 lbs. (7.28 and 7.45 kg.) and
are i\}4 and i\}4 in. (28.4 and 28.9 cm.) in diameter. One is inscribed "From the
prizes"; the inscription on the other has been read "Telesarchos' (diskos), from the
barrow" (i.e., from the tomb of the hero in whose honor the games were held). Portions
of the rim have been restored.
Lent to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Albert Gallatin.
13
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
The next stage of the throw. The athlete swings the diskos forward with both
hands.
From a kylix, Metropolitan Museum of
Art, No. 09.221.47
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THE
PENTATHLON
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Art, N o . 10.210.18
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
J
Diskobolos marking the take-off with a peg.
From a kylix, The Louvre, No. G 73
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THE P E N T A T H L O N T H E JAVELIN
THROW
Javelin throwers testing the bindings of their thongs under the eyes of their trainers.
From a psykter, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, No. 01.8019
'7
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
Javelin throwers mounting. The javelin was also thrown from horseback. One
athlete holds blunt javelins for distance-throwing, the other has pointed javelins for
throwing at a target.
From a kylix, Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg
18
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THE P E N T A T H L O N T H E
IAVELIN
THROW
V.
WRESTLING
Wrestlers engaging. Each advances bent forward from the waist so as not to offer any
opening, while his outstretched hands are ready for whatever opportunity his opponent may offer.
A pair of bronze statues, National Museum, Naples
19
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GREEK
ATHLETICS
Wrestler trying to force an opponent to his knees by bending his neck forward.
From a psykter, University Collection, Turin
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Wrestler gripping an opponent's arm in order to throw him by means of the "flying
mare." The other guards by pressing a hand against his shoulder to keep him from
turning round for the throw.
A statue base, National Museum, Athens
20
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THE
PENTATHLONWRESTLING
"The heave."
Having
hold, the wrestler is here
his opponent over in the
paring to drop him on the
From a metope of the
Athens
Wrestlers engaging.
A coin, Metropolitan Museum of Art, No. 731
21
obtained his
seen turning
air and preground.
"Theseion,"
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BOXING
The Greek boxer aimed his attack at his opponent's head, body
blows being almost unknown; for this reason in boxing scenes the
contestants invariably have their heads well guarded, while their
bodies are left exposed. Boxers wrapped their fists with thongs
(himantes) ten or twelve feet in length, to form a sort of glove.
Boxers sparring.
From an amphora, Metropolitan Museum of Art, No. 06.1021.51
22
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BOXING
Boxers. One has felled the other, and the fallen athlete holds up his forefinger as a
sign of defeat.
From a kylix, Altes Museum, Berlin, No. 2284
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THE PANKRATION
The pankration, a combination of wrestling and boxing, was a
development of the primitive hand-to-hand struggle without
weapons. It was, however, controlled by rules and was a contest no less of skill than of strength.
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THE
PANKRATION
Trainer beating with his stick a youth who is gouging his opponent's eye.
From a kylix, British Museum, No. E78
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T H E HORSE-RACE
The Greeks rode without saddle or stirrups. Young men could
mount by vaulting from the ground, sometimes with the aid of a
javelin. Children and old men mounted with the help of another
person. Races took place in the hippodrome, which consisted of
an open plain flanked by a slope where spectators could sit. A
pillar at either end marked the turning. The circuit of the course
at Olympia was nearly a mile.
Athlete about to vault on the back of a trotting horse with the aid of his javelin.
From a kylix, Museum fur antike Kleinkunst, Munich, No. 515
26
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THE
HORSE-RACE
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Boys' horse-race. One rider has been thrown from his horse and is being dragged
along clinging to the rein.
From a krater, Museum fur antike Kleinkunst, Munich, No. 805
The victor in a horse-race. The victor rides in procession, followed by a youth carrying the garland and tripod which he has received as prizes. A herald walks in front
announcing the victory: " Dyneikctos's horse is the winner."
From an amphora, British Museum, No. B144
2
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T H E CHARIOT RACE
The four-horse chariot race was twelve laps of the hippodrome,
nearly nine miles at Olympia, a distance which made for a slow
pace and comparative safety. The course was marked by a column
at each end, the danger point of the race.
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Racing chariot with two mules. The chariot consists of two wheels and a high seat
on which the driver perches.
A coin, Metropolitan Museum of Art, No.
206
28
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Racing chariot. The driver wears a long white chiton, the regulation dress of the
Greek charioteer.
From an oinochoe, Altes Museum, Berlin, No. 1732
Chariot race at the finish. The chariots at full speed pass the goal, near which the
judges are seated. The tripods are to serve as prizes for the winners.
From a krater, Altes Museum, Berlin, No. 1655
29
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BALL GAMES
Games played with balls were popular with the Greeks from the
earliest times, but were not accorded a place among the regular
activities of the gymnasium.
"Hockey" game. Two players stand as if read}' to "bully off"; but their sticks are
held in a reversed position, while those in the field are not on the alert to receive the
ball.
A statue base, National Museum, Athens
Ball game. Two teams of three confront each other; one of the players is about to
throw the ball with all his force high in the air, while a member of the opposing team
appears ready to catch it.
A statue base, National Museum, Athens
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HOPLOMACHY
Youths were taught to fence in heavy armor, to the music of the
flute, a practical military exercise.
fefc rl"
H o p l o m a c h y or P y r r h i c D a n c e .
From a hydria, Metropolitan M u s e u m of Art, N o . 21.88.2
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PRIZES
The victor in the games received a crown of wild olive.
PRINTED DECEMBER,