The Ancient Olympic Games

This project was made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

“The Ancient Olympics and Daily Life in Ancient Olympia: A Hands-On History”

National Endowment for the Humanities Institute

Institute Co-Directors: Robert Holschuh Simmons and Nathalie Roy

Summer 2024 – Monmouth College, Monmouth, IL

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Ryan Sellers, Memphis University School (Memphis, TN)

ryan.sellers@musowls.org

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TWLTA Annual Conference – Nashville, TN – Fall 2025

Sources:

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Miller, Stephen G. Ancient Greek Athletics. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004.

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Simmons, Robert. “Teaching the Techniques of the Ancient Olympic Pentathlon: Connecting the Ancient and Modern Worlds through Athletic Physicality.” Classical Outlook 99.2 (2024): 73-89.

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Swaddling, Judith. The Ancient Olympic Games. 3rd ed. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2015.

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Sweet, Waldo E. Sport and Recreation in Ancient Greece: A Sourcebook with Translations. New York: Oxford University Press,1987.

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Pentathlon

1. Running (stadion, στάδιον)
2. Discus (diskos, δίσκος)
3. Long Jump (halma, ἅλμα) 
4. Javelin (akon, ἄκων)
5. Wrestling (pale, πάλη)

Running

• stadion (στάδιον) – 776 BCE
• sprint to one end of the stadium
• diaulos (δίαυλος) – 724 BCE
• sprint to one end of the stadium and back
• dolichos (δόλιχος) – 720 BCE
• a longer foot race
• hippios (ἵππιος)
• not at Olympia
• twice the diaulos
• lampadedromia (λαμπαδηδρομία)
• not at Olympia
• torch relay race
• marathon?
• not until 1896

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Stadium at Olympia

Marathon?

Running

• hoplitodromos (ὁπλιτοδρόμος) – 520 BCE
• a foot race in military gear

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Running

The Start:

• balbis (βαλβίς)
• starting block
• hysplex (ὕσπληγξ)
• starting release system

Commands:

• poda para poda
• πόδα, παρὰ πόδα (“Foot beside foot!”)
• hetoimoi
• ἕτοιμοι (“Ready!”)
• apite
• ἄπιτε (“Go!”)

Turning Post:

• kampter (καμπτήρ)

Discus

Long Jump

• halma (ἅλμα)
• long jump
• halteres (ἁλτῆρες)
• hand weights

Javelin

• akon (ἄκων)
• javelin
• ankyle (ἀγκύλη)
• leather wrap

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Combat

• pale (πάλη)
• wrestling
• pyx (πύξ)
• boxing
• pankration (παγκράτιον)
• MMA fighting

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Chariot Racing

• tethrippon (τέθριππον) – 680 BCE
• four-horse chariot
• 12 circuits around the hippodrome
• synoris (συνωρὶς)
• two-horse chariot
• four circuits around the hippodrome

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The American Classical League

78th Annual Institute

�#ACLClassics2025�

Show Me the Money: Pliny, Trajan, and the Olympic Games

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Ryan Sellers, Memphis University School

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“The Ancient Olympics and Daily Life in Ancient Olympia: A Hands-On History”

Project Rationale

Compensation of Athletes

Nobilibus athletis, qui Olympia, Pythia, Isthmia, Nemea vicissent, Graecorum maiores ita magnos honores constituerunt, uti non modo in conventu stantes cum palma et corona ferant laudes, sed etiam, cum revertantur in suas civitates cum victoria, triumphantes quadrigis in moenia et in patrias invehantur e reque publica perpetua vita constitutis vectigalibus fruantur.

Vitruvius, De Architectura 9 (preface)

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Compensation of Athletes

Nobilibus athletis, qui Olympia, Pythia, Isthmia, Nemea vicissent, Graecorum maiores ita magnos honores constituerunt, uti non modo in conventu stantes cum palma et corona ferant laudes, sed etiam, cum revertantur in suas civitates cum victoria, triumphantes quadrigis in moenia et in patrias invehantur e reque publica perpetua vita constitutis vectigalibus fruantur . . .

Cum ergo tanta munera ab scriptorum prudentia privatim publiceque fuerint hominibus praeparata, non solum arbitror palmas et coronas his tribui oportere, sed etiam decerni triumphos et inter deorum sedes eos dedicando iudicari.

Pliny the Younger

Pliny 10.118

C. PLĪNIUS TRAIĀNŌ IMPERĀTŌRĪ

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Āthlētae, domine, ea, quae prō īselasticīs certāminibus cōnstituistī, dēbērī sibi putant statim ex eō diē, quō sunt corōnātī; nihil enim referre, quandō sint patriam invectī, sed quandō certāmine vīcerint, ex quō invehī possint. Ego contrā scrībō īselasticī nōmine. Itaque eorum vehementer addubitem an sit potius id tempus, quō εἰσήλασαν, intuendum.

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1. Show me the money

FROM THE TIME OF VICTORY.

triumphantes quadrigis

Pliny 10.118

C. PLĪNIUS TRAIĀNŌ IMPERĀTŌRĪ

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Eīdem obsōnia petunt prō eō agōne, quī ā tē īselasticus factus est, quamvīs vīcerint antequam fieret. Aiunt enim congruēns esse, sīcut nōn dētur sibi prō eīs certāminibus, quae esse īselastica postquam vīcērunt dēsiērunt, ita prō eīs darī quae esse coepērunt.

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2. Show me the money RETROACTIVELY.

Pliny 10.118

C. PLĪNIUS TRAIĀNŌ IMPERĀTŌRĪ

Hīc quoque nōn mediocriter haereō, nē cuiusquam retrō habeātur ratiō dandumque, quod tunc cum vincerent nōn dēbēbātur. Rogō ergō, ut dubitātiōnem meam regere, id est beneficia tua interpretārī, ipse dignēris.

Pliny 10.119

TRAIĀNUS PLĪNIŌ 

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Īselasticum tunc prīmum mihi vidētur incipere dēbērī, cum quis in cīvitātem suam ipse εἰσήλασεν. Obsōnia eōrum certāminum, quae īselastica esse placuit mihi, sī ante īselastica nōn fuērunt, retrō nōn dēbentur. Nec prōficere prō dēsīderiō āthlētārum potest, quod eōrum, quae posteā īselastica lege cōnstituī, quam vīcērunt, accipere dēsiērunt. Mūtātā enim condiciōne certāminum nihilōminus, quae ante percēperant, nōn revocantur.

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1. Show me the money FROM THE TIME OF VICTORY.

2. Show me the money RETROACTIVELY.

Pliny 9.6 and 10.40

C. PLINIUS CALVISIO SUO

Quo magis miror tot milia virorum tam pueriliter identidem cupere currentes equos, insistentes curribus homines videre.

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TRAIANUS PLINIO

Gymnasiis indulgent Graeculi; ideo forsitan Nicaeenses maiore animo constructionem eius aggressi sunt: sed oportet illos eo contentos esse, quod possit illis sufficere.�

Examples of other Pliny letters related to athletics

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